in Reviews

Having some defun

by Juha Torvinen

"defunensemble is a Finnish group specialising in electroacoustic music. This new double CD introduces the ensemble’s versatility. One of the discs displays works for solo instruments and electronics, while the other is built around various ensemble configurations."

defunensemble is a Finnish group specialising in electroacoustic music. This new double CD introduces the ensemble’s versatility. One of the discs displays works for solo instruments and electronics, while the other is built around various ensemble configurations.

In Jodlowski’s Dialog/No Dialog, Hanna Kinnunen’s flute and electronic material form a seamless whole. After Pattar’s harp patters, rendered sharply by Lily­Marlene Puusepp, Emil Holmström makes the best of Poppe’s unwittingly humorous Arbeit. Markus Hohti’s fierce cello dominates in van der Aa’s Oog – a work with some really nice surprises.

On the second CD, Nuorvala, master of microtonality and out-of-the-box tunings, wipes away the dust with his Boost. Klemola’s noise-music work Feed deploys the recording’s largest ensemble configuration.

This is quite a lot for a listener to chew on. Buy this record if you want to know how the premier league of Finnish performers of contemporary music play. Sounds and overall production are of a top quality, especially on the first CD.

DEFUNENSEMBLE: Define Function

Jodlowski: Dialog/No Dialog; Pattar: Chaman; Poppe: Arbeit I–III; van der Aa: Oog; Barrett: Liquid Chrystal; Raasakka: Erinnerung; Page: Curl; Nuorvala: Boost; Puumala: Bassfortel; Klemola: Feed

Hanna Kinnunen (flute, alto flute), Mikko Raasakka (clarinet, bass clarinet), Lily-Marlene Puusepp (harp, electroacoustic harp), Emil Holmström (piano, keyboard), Markus Hohti (cello), Sami Klemola (electric guitar, crackle box), Anders Pohjola (electronics), Timo Kurkikangas (electronics), Marko Myöhänen (electronics)

SibaRecords SRCD-1014