Old Ways, New Ways
Kuu, 2022
9/10
A Finnish composer and musician who is well versed in folk, jazz and rock, Juha Kujanpää makes quite an impression with these 10 tracks, where piano, reed organ and synth plus many others are utilized in worldly, progressive ways.
The title track opens the listen with dreamy vocals and Emmi Kujanpää’s warmly plucked kantele making for a soothing, meditative climate, and the dense, textured “Trekators” follows with Joakim Berghäll’s sax and Verneri Pohjola’s trumpet making for a uniquely jazz flavored delivery.
At the halfway point, “Morning Star” is a highly melodic and airy display of cautious, cozy instrumentation that flirts with New Age sensibilities, while “Gates Of Heaven” spotlights Jouni Järvelä’s clarinet prowess in the intimate and lush album highlight.
The last two tracks are quite impressive, too, where “In The Country” welcomes Henri Haapakoski’s atmospheric flute and Teija Niku’s well timed accordion for the sublime vocals scatting, and “Glow” exits the listen with gorgeous piano amid the vulnerable demeanor that’s poetic.
A record that parallels the greatness coming from labels like Apollon, this is Kujanpää’s 4th solo album, and it truly is an exceptional example of modern day prog-rock that warrants plenty of attention.
Travels well with: Moon Letters- Thank You From The Future; Oak- The Quiet Rebellion Of Compromise