Fonal Records
V.A. : Summer and smiles of Finland (FI,2006)**°'
Fonal records have reasons to celebrate their 10th anniversary, now when their groups were asked for gigs in many countries, and their releases are sold everywhere too. This is a promotional compilation with an overview of the label. It is delivered with any purchase of a release of the label with a minimum of 15 euro's of purchase. The sampler contains old and new tracks within the range of experimental folk and avant pop. Paavoharju has 2 tracks listed which are not too well recorded experimental folk, with one unreleased and noisy experiment, with a nice composition underneath, and another track from their only album, with keyboards and female vocals. Islaja has three moody experimental folkpop tracks contributed, which is one with exotic dreamy female vocals and keyboards, one unreleased track with acoustic guitar strums and vocals, and another loose experiment. From Kemialliset Ystävät, three intuitive experimental folk tracks from three different cd's were added. First track is a moody experiment with female voice (like Islaja), harmonica and piano. Second track is a compilation of experimental folk and rock ideas, while the third track uses improvised electronica. Shogun Kunitoki after this fits well, with its electronic music minimalism, performed like alternative or progressive rock. Two tracks from both Es albums are also added. Es, lead by label owner Sami, participated with many of the other already mentioned artists. The two tracks are from his two Fonal albums. First track is loop driven folk-minimalism with record noise. Also the second track has some loop-minimalism. With magical droning bass, some piano, found sounds and female vocals it sounds like a mystic ritual from the underground, which fades out in a more introverted mood. Kiila has one track of their first album. It is simple, "experimental", rather shaman-ritualistic folk with nice harmony vocals. Risto is supposed to be an indie poprock band, with their own amount of use of limited-in-their-own-world intuitive sounds experiments, with sweet-simplistic keyboards, and distorted and experimental electric guitar, and some chaotic vocals near the end. Second track sounds garage-like. TV-Resistori is the second indie-pop band with 3 tracks, of which one is unreleased and two other are from both Fonal albums. The first track is child-playful, with the typical keyboards I enjoyed before from them. Also the second track has a similar teenybob flavour. The unreleased, playful humorist track seems to be recorded especially for the compilation, or is just used for the title of the compilation.
The album surely gives an idea of the musical intentions of the groups on the label. They all are like a big family, and cooperated with each other on a regular basis. There's a booklet included with introductions to each group, some review fragments and a complete discography.
Audio :
Shogun Kunitoki : "Montezuma" (Tasankokaiku),
Other reviews : -
