Mortality
Eclipse, 2020
8/10
A very unique listen that meshes jazz and prog-rock, among other ideas, Mortality showcases the compositions of Tapio Ylinen, which are fleshed out by a handful of esteemed Finnish musicians.
“In Memoriam…part 1” starts the listen with a calm display of gentle guitar from Jere Haakana amid plenty of atmosphere and Aki Rissanen’s precise keys and well timed brass follow in the progressive flow of “In Memoriam…part 2”.
Halfway through, “Death’s Little Sister” glides with a dreamy climate of hypnotic guitar work, soulful keys and light drumming from Mika Kallio, while “Mortality”, the longest track, showcases Pauli Lyytinen’s agile saxophone alongside some timeless bluesy ideas.
Near the end, “Towards Dawn, part 2” radiates moody trumpet from Verneri Pohjola as a post-rock sort of charm unfolds, and “Towards Dawn, part 3” exits the listen with a firm, rock’n’roll pace that benefits from drum acrobatics, where a furious yet calculated free jazz exploration finishes the listen.
A debut for the supergroup, Mortality was conceived after Ylinen’s wife died in 2015, and thematically surrounds the limits of human existence. Musically, it’s quite gentle, optimistic and full of melodic interplay that’s sonically engaging, highly eclectic, and packed with fusion greatness that few could replicate.
Travels well with: Fifth Element- Fifth Element; Dan Rose & Claudine Francois- New Leaves