Rättö Ja Lehtisalo - UU Mama

2010; 11 tracks

Rättö Ja Lehtisalo is the project of Finnish musicians Mika Rättö and Jussi Lehtisalo, who can be associated with acts like Circle (!!!!!!!), Moon Pharaoh Overlord, and others. UU Mama is their fourth full-length, as far as I'm aware, and there was just a new release by the duo this year.

This is pretty much a mixed bag. Although there are elements of the folky, psychedelic, and daring electronica, one might describe their music as just catchy pop (or something closely related). From what I translated of a certain review, they consider Kraftwerk to be an influence? Not important. It's Finnish, which already adds a degree of unusual atmosphere to the listening experience.

Download.

Lungfish - Love is Love

2003; 10 tracks

lungfish is a band whose extensive (very appropriately so) array of releases never ceases to mystify me. love is love is the band's second to last album, and one of the most assuredly consistent of them all. tracks like "fearfully and wonderfully," which is tied only with "wailing like dragons" as my favorite piece of lungfish godliness, opens with the most glowing of chords that unfailingly lift my spirits up high. this album holds a luminescence not matched by many other albums. here are a few lyrics that i simply adore, especially when sung by daniel higgs:

holy holy christ beast
christ beast bear your message
about a godform that’s formless
and forming in your baby, in your mind
with wings like rainbow oars of fire
inscribing signs across the water
gently, gently upon the water
signs becoming what they signify

i'm reading john irving's the world according to garp right now, and have been listening to love is love along the way. one sentence in the absurdly enjoyable novel that truly arrested me was this: "garp's throat ached at her trust, and at his love for her." i know exactly how that feels, for my throat to just swell up and feel overflowed with tears, or some indiscernable substance that is only associated with the most painful of emotions. that is how this album makes me feel - overwhelmed with pity, with grief, and.... maybe even with love.


download / purchase

Faust - C’est Com…Com…Compliqué

2009; 9 tracks

I haven't heard any other Faust album besides this, which is their latest one, so I don't feel qualified to give an accurate assessment of their music. In any case, I really dig this album. Never a dull moment.

Download.