Paavoharju - Joko sinä tulet tänne alas tai minä tulen sinne
2013 / Experimental, folk, hip-hop
1. Metsän hämärä
2. Patsaatkin kuolevat
3. Krabat
4. Sä olit
5. Tumulus
6. Kuolon uni
7. Tattarisuo 1931
8. Penuel
9. Valkeat majat
10. Olet maailman syli
10. Minä nousen sinne
10. Kolmas voima
Orostider: Paavoharju was completely unknown to me before my visit to the record store bus in 2013. I went in and inquired if they had any stoner doom with them. The response was negative, but they told me to grab 'Joko sinä tulet tänne alas tai minä tulen sinne' if I'm into psychedelic and fuzzy music. I have no regrets.
Paavoharju got originally known for their experimental and psychedelic folk, but my first contact with them was this album. Their previous albums are also amazing, but I enjoy how this album differs from the rest of their discography. Heavier electronic elements and dark hip-hop/rap elements possibly make this album more approachable, but they are also the reason why the album's atmosphere is almost completely different than, for example, how the mood is on 'Yhä hämärää.'
Paavoharju is also completely different than anything we've written about, because the lyrics play such a large role. The album is magnificent otherwise too, but when combined to arcane and morbid lyrics with deep rap vocals, the album takes its true form. My absolute favourite track of the album, 'Tumulus', is a fine example of a perfect symbiosis between the vocals and the rest of the track.
Even though I really like the album, there are some flaws. The repetitive style doesn't work as well as it could and the album as a whole loses some of its replay value. Other flaw, at least in my opinion, is the single song that feels like a filler: 'Penuel.' It could work as an intro, but the low pitched vocals sort of break the immersion and are, in the end, pretty awful.
Even with its flaws 'Joko sinä tulet tänne alas tai minä tulen sinne' is a wonderful album that should be visited by everyone interested by experimental music. Unless rap vocals are a huge turnoff.
Favourite songs: 'Tumulus', 'Valkeat Majat', 'Minä nousen sinne'
TP5170: As someone who finds the vocal style of Finnish rap / hip-hop really uninspiring, I wasn’t really able to get much out of this album. It is a shame that the instrumental side feels so underwhelmed, because the slightly trippy and experimental sound could be kind of interesting, but as it stands the way the music is composed is simply so vocal dependent that I can’t really see anyone listening it just for the instrumentals. There are surely some cool moments on for example the track, ‘Tumulus’, but the vocal style just unfortunately kills it completely for me.
To be frank I can’t come up with a reason why I’d ever want to return to this album as it was quite far from being my cup of tea, but at least I am now an experience richer. (PS. why does the guy on the cover have an asshole on his back?)
Btcarey: “Joko Sinä Tulet Tänne Alas Tai Minä Nousen Sinne” immerses the listener into a deep, hypnotic, trance with a psychedelic fusion of hip-hop and folk. The dreamlike atmosphere delves into both the darkness and beauty of a nocturnal state. It keeps the listener isolated, in musical purgatory, drifting between a dissonant storm and an alluring wonderland.
The atmosphere of the album is perfect, maintaining a consistent discord of musical scopes, yet fitting everything together flawlessly. Only issue I had with the album was that the lyrics were in Finnish. For any form of hip-hop, lyrics and vocal style play a key roll in the overall tone of the piece. Due to this language barrier I ended the album feeling as if it was incomplete, like there was this profound world with nothing in it. For this reason I would probably suggest the album to strictly native Finns, but if a language barrier is not a deterring factor for you then any fan of experimental hip-hop or psychedelic music could find something to enjoy in this album.
Favorite Songs: “Sä Olit”, “Kuolon Uni”, “Valkeat Majat”
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