Lingua Fungi - Melankhton
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Frankly speaking, Jaakko Padastu has never managed to properly stir my interest in his music, making me want to follow his career further on. Of the two longplays I listened to, and which I reviewed quite highly, only one tune stayed with me for longer, which I suppose is a rather poor testament to how Lingua Fungi’s music resounds within me. So imagine my surprise, when after a few years of not caring much, I decided to see what Padastu’s been up to, and as it turns out he had been quite busy, releasing four albums (including two collaborations) and a split with Shrine, on top of other things. Having learned that, picking the latest LF album ‘Melankhton’ made me hope for an evolution, which would offer something more than the fleeting sounds of the first two albums. And I was not disappointed.
Remembering the overall atmosphere of the first records, the character of ‘Melankhton’ is quite a surprise. I was expecting a return to cave walking or once more listening to stories while sitting by a tribal fireplace. What we get instead is a decent soundtrack to strolling through a city, but not just any city. The very first track puts images of alleys and lanes of Montmartre or Czech Prague in my head, all thanks to the use of acoustic instruments. The feeling lasts for a longer moment, only to be replaced by something far more intimate. The release note says ‘Melankthon’ is a sound record of a particular illness, simultaneously conducting a research in experimental anthropology. What this means, the note does not say, but one thing is certain: there comes a moment, when instead of focusing on the scenery, I start to focus on a person in that very scenery. All thanks to a shift in the music’s mood, turning from acoustic to drone and even industrial soundscapes. Yes, Padastu goes deep into territories usually associated with darker projects, however taking into account the premise of the album, the drone/industrial parts should not come as a surprise. A perfect example of the said blend is the title track, incorporating all the new elements at the same time keeping the feeling of the classic tribal LF. I admit that this approach suits me better than what I’ve heard from Padastu up until now. The tunes on ‘Melankhton’ have way more character than I would have expected, which I hope will make them stay in my head for longer than just a few moments.
Maybe it’s an elementary case of progress, maybe it’s the effect of collaborations, live performances with Zaot-Äon, or ultimately changing the label to Aural Hypnox. No Matter. What matters, is that Jaakko Padastu has finally released an album which diversity (without losing its identity) will make me replay it over and over again, and which I can wholeheartedly recommend to everyone interested in ambient soundscapes in its many forms.
Tracklist:
01. Wavy Guests
02. Departure
03. Melankhton
04. Detached
05. Soma Dissolution
Other articles:
Remembering the overall atmosphere of the first records, the character of ‘Melankhton’ is quite a surprise. I was expecting a return to cave walking or once more listening to stories while sitting by a tribal fireplace. What we get instead is a decent soundtrack to strolling through a city, but not just any city. The very first track puts images of alleys and lanes of Montmartre or Czech Prague in my head, all thanks to the use of acoustic instruments. The feeling lasts for a longer moment, only to be replaced by something far more intimate. The release note says ‘Melankthon’ is a sound record of a particular illness, simultaneously conducting a research in experimental anthropology. What this means, the note does not say, but one thing is certain: there comes a moment, when instead of focusing on the scenery, I start to focus on a person in that very scenery. All thanks to a shift in the music’s mood, turning from acoustic to drone and even industrial soundscapes. Yes, Padastu goes deep into territories usually associated with darker projects, however taking into account the premise of the album, the drone/industrial parts should not come as a surprise. A perfect example of the said blend is the title track, incorporating all the new elements at the same time keeping the feeling of the classic tribal LF. I admit that this approach suits me better than what I’ve heard from Padastu up until now. The tunes on ‘Melankhton’ have way more character than I would have expected, which I hope will make them stay in my head for longer than just a few moments.
Maybe it’s an elementary case of progress, maybe it’s the effect of collaborations, live performances with Zaot-Äon, or ultimately changing the label to Aural Hypnox. No Matter. What matters, is that Jaakko Padastu has finally released an album which diversity (without losing its identity) will make me replay it over and over again, and which I can wholeheartedly recommend to everyone interested in ambient soundscapes in its many forms.
Tracklist:
01. Wavy Guests
02. Departure
03. Melankhton
04. Detached
05. Soma Dissolution
Other articles:
- Lingua Fungi - Tlapallan Pantonal - 2011-12-09 (Music reviews)
- Lingua Fungi - Flowery Dreams - 2011-10-23 (Music reviews)
- Lingua Fungi - Flowery Dreams - 2007-01-18 (Music reviews)
