"Just as a drop of ink dissolves in a glass of water, it is said that life on Earth began in this way. It's impossible to become that drop again. Life on Earth is a mystery — it's a story of dissolution." These are the wise words from acclaimed Finnish synth-pop weirdo Jaakko Eino Kalevi, when prompted to speak on the title of his latest release. Dissolution marks a completely new episode in Kalevi's never-ending cosmic voyage, one that is explorative, funky and ultimately quite memorable.
The album opens with "Out of Touch," a brief interlude that feels strange and alienating, much like the songs on Kalevi's 2018 release of the same name. But if life on Earth is a mysterious story of dissolution and there's no point in seeking out answers, Kalevi is here to make sure that listeners enjoy the ride anyhow; the following six songs are fascinating in their own respective ways. "Dissolution" is an anything-but-average pop song with groovy guitar layered over pulsating synths that sound as though they are dripping from a faucet. "Uutiset" appears a few tracks later, using surreal vocals and extraterrestrial arpeggiators to make things slow and euphoric.
Dissolution climbs higher and higher into unknown territories as it continues, but with such a vehement sense of adventure that one cannot help but become sucked in. As the second-to-last song on the project, "The Search" feels rooted in old-school techno and '90s rave while also incorporating the combination of weird electro that is characteristic of Jaakko Eino Kalevi's work.
The album wraps up with "The Conceptual Mediterranean (Part 2)" — a thematic continuation of the final song on last year's Out of Touch — which brings down the tempo in its calm and reflective grooviness, blending saxophone and bass with jazzy synths.
While Out of Touch was calm and reflective, Dissolution comes as a fresh and energetic new journey. The only thing unsatisfying about Jaakko's new project is its half-hour length, as his explorations feel like they warrant vast amounts of time. Still, nothing on Dissolution feels out of place, and everything about it is authentic as ever.
(Weird World)The album opens with "Out of Touch," a brief interlude that feels strange and alienating, much like the songs on Kalevi's 2018 release of the same name. But if life on Earth is a mysterious story of dissolution and there's no point in seeking out answers, Kalevi is here to make sure that listeners enjoy the ride anyhow; the following six songs are fascinating in their own respective ways. "Dissolution" is an anything-but-average pop song with groovy guitar layered over pulsating synths that sound as though they are dripping from a faucet. "Uutiset" appears a few tracks later, using surreal vocals and extraterrestrial arpeggiators to make things slow and euphoric.
Dissolution climbs higher and higher into unknown territories as it continues, but with such a vehement sense of adventure that one cannot help but become sucked in. As the second-to-last song on the project, "The Search" feels rooted in old-school techno and '90s rave while also incorporating the combination of weird electro that is characteristic of Jaakko Eino Kalevi's work.
The album wraps up with "The Conceptual Mediterranean (Part 2)" — a thematic continuation of the final song on last year's Out of Touch — which brings down the tempo in its calm and reflective grooviness, blending saxophone and bass with jazzy synths.
While Out of Touch was calm and reflective, Dissolution comes as a fresh and energetic new journey. The only thing unsatisfying about Jaakko's new project is its half-hour length, as his explorations feel like they warrant vast amounts of time. Still, nothing on Dissolution feels out of place, and everything about it is authentic as ever.