Kemialliset Ystävät

This band from Finland has become one of my musical passions. Part of a feral Finnish folk movement that has been percolating for a while, their music is dreamy and surreal. They also have moments of inspired cacaphony. Although considered as part of the "freak folk" movement by some, there is something about their sound that reminds me of early '80s experimental underground music. Imagine if Cabaret Voltaire or Rhythm & Noise played folk music. I could listen to them for hours.

Aquarius Records (a great place to shop for their music) sums it up quite nicely: "A sort of Krautrock meets seventies pagan folk meets minimal drone meets free rock meets everything else. No wonder it all sounds so good. It's little purloined scraps of everything we love, woven haphazardly together into gorgeous rambling and meandering sonic explorations. Banjos accompany wavering falsetto vocals, shuffling seasick rhythms underpin wild songbird like melodies and fluttery flutes, buzzing distorted guitars rumble beneath full on harmony pop vocals, warped and warbly organs and woodwinds nestle up against the clattery clang of kitchen sink percussion. It all sounds so perfectly imperfect together. Dreamy and melancholy, stumbly and goofy, dark and brooding, woozy and hypnotic, innocent and playful, exuberant and festive, creepy and bizarre, pretty and darn near perfect."

Enjoy!