Paavoharju

Not a single thread about them over here. It's clear by now they'll never get to be a cult band of sorts since their sound is probably too scattered to be truly influential still I think they're one of the most complex and original bands of this decade. What's is ILM's general consensus about them?

use the 'search by post' function - ppl talked about him in the ilx 09 album poll thread

I love this band and they did pretty well in the albums 2008 poll... there was some discussion on that (very long) thread.

TOP 10 NOW: //////////////shawty got poll poll poll poll poll poll poll (part II: 2008 ALBUMS)///////////////

also here:

Fonal Records

but yeah I think they deserve their own thread. are there just the two albums or am I missing something? They hit some of the same psych-pop-electronic sweet spots for me that the Legendary Pink Dots do.

lol xpost

They're absolutely fantastic, and "Laulu Laakson Kukista" will be in my top 5 for the decade. Joose Keskitalo's solo records are also very worth listening to.

got alotta love for this band, a whole lot. such humble peoples too

I wonder where their name comes from? Because "Paavo" is a common Finnish first name and "Harju" is a common second name, so at first I thought it was a solo artist, but apparently there's no one called "Paavo Harju" in the band.

This is what their webpage says:

Good to know:
1. Paavoharju is from Savonlinna, Finland
2. We are not new-age hippies
3. Paavoharju is mostly brothers Lauri Ainala & Olli Ainala
4. Lauri Ainala is not female (or shemale)
5. Joose Keskitalo is not the chief lyricist of Paavoharju
6. No shirts, no shoes.
7. Paavoharju is against drugs
8. Our studio's name is Saunamaja
9. Ragnar Rock invented Paavoharju's name
10.We believe in King Messiah Jesus our Righteous Branch coming from David

http://www.paavoharju.com/read.php

Ha, I've never read the website before. Intriguing.

Any news of new records or anything?

Nope, not a whisper.

I still really want to hear this. Haven't seen the album anyplace.

http://tinyurl.com/mxjeas tbh

actually that's kindof a dick move

great band

It's on emusic too if that helps.

"Paavoharju is against drugs"

without drugs i couldn't stand listening to your music. thx though.

they did pretty well in the albums 2008 poll

That's how I got introduced to them tbh. That's a good album. Really good to chill out to.

I personally prefer 'Yha Hamaraa', I find it more cohesive. 'Laulu Laakson Kukista' is a great album but there's a certain gothic undertone on some of the tracks which rubs me the wrong way, also a couple of tracks in there are nothing but ambient filler.

but yeah I think they deserve their own thread. are there just the two albums or am I missing something? They hit some of the same psych-pop-electronic sweet spots for me that the Legendary Pink Dots do.

There's also a debut ep which they made called 'Mitä sinä et ole' which I've never heard and a free, download only ep called 'Tuote-akatemia / Unien Savonlinna'. It's available at the internet archive: http://www.archive.org/details/mia061.

Also the two Ainala brothers collaborate frequently on Joose Keskitalo's output, most notably on 'Joose Keskitalo & Kolmas maailmanpalo' which is a really good album and a great recommendation for any Paavoharju fans.

i want to thank e.mily and moka for alerting me to the existence these guys with their comments on the best musical year of the 2000s thread. the album laulu laakson kukista is really something. i was wondering if anyone knew more about the context of this band and their sound. like, i know they are from an island or whatever, but does their sound draw on regional sources at all -- can they be said to have emerged from a "scene"? or maybe a simpler way of putting this is, does anyone know what the fans of this band are like, and what they listen to? i'm not interested in bands that "sound similar", necessarily, but more like, idk, groups with a similar sensibility. i love how this band's sound seems so natural -- like it's always been there -- but then again, obviously synthesizes a lot of disparate influences.

anyway, i hope this question doesn't come across as like, a gauche solicitation for music advice. really, i am just curious to hear from the fans of this group that post here, and learn what else they like.

my guess would be to check more Fonal Records stuff? Lau Nau, Kemialliset Ystavat, maybe Islaja...?

http://www.discogs.com/label/Fonal%20Records

something new learned today: Dolphins into the Future released an album on Fonal

sweet, thanks.

New album! Had no idea this was coming out, not much English-language info out there (there's a Pitchfork review and an interview and that's about it). Going to listen to it first thing tomorrow!

Sweet

oh that is awesome, had kind of given up on ever hearing from them again

Awesome! :) no idea if the hip hop element will fit but excited to hear anything new. Will have to listen and check back in.

Pat: I didn't see your message six months ago, you're welcome! I can't honestly think of bands with a similar sensitivity or sound. To me Paavoharju synthethize too many worlds... on their first album they were clearly associated to the 'freak-folk' scene (partly because their label Fonal became well known within the scene) but even there they didn't really fit in since they seem to dislike hippies and drugs.. There's also the obscure ambient passages which reminds me of Nurse With Wound and The Caretaker and there's also the doomed lo-fi blues aspect which reminds me of bands on the Kranky, Beggar's Banquet labels. Idk if anyone hears it but I think Bollywood music is also latent in their music.

Too many sounds to mention... it will be hard to find something like it... Closest thing I can think of is hearing random shortwave recordings.

Pat goes by the sn 'Treeship' now

(you might know that actually, my bad)

I like it. The hip-hop element is kinda weird, and one track reminds me of RZA. Also, the track Tattarisuo 1931 has an almost Black Metal riff, and rapping on top. It's not at all as cohesive as Laulu, but I like their all-devouring attitude. They are like the finnish Mt Eerie.

How can I listen to this?

though i haven't paid attention to fonal for a while, this compilation from 2k6 gives a good sense of their earlier releases

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Summer-And-Smiles-Of-Finland/release/658456

hip hop element kinda sorta sounds like dälek (jamming with faust)

It's on Spotify

*rrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh*

hasn't it leaked properly or is this thing just a spotify transcode

the leak seems to be legit

I was hoping that there'd be an advance stream on P4k like they do now, and... apparently there was, I just missed it. Can't find a leak... yet. I will be buying this, anyway.

no idea if the hip hop element will fit

it does not, sadly

^^ this post misled me, maybe it doesn't quite fit but this record is far better than I was expecting, thank you EOY poll homework

Hmm. It might grow on me in the future but right now I'm not sure. It may miss my ballot, in fact.

Lauri Ainala has written a book and there is an accompanying CD & LP of rare & unreleased Paavoharju and related solo works:
https://www.svartrecords.com/product/tuote-kirja-2/#tuote-kirja
https://open.spotify.com/album/6wkVaESu41mOGmX3M1EsH2?si=PHd9lFRHTembziQY8OlFDw

oh, wow, thanks for the heads up!

yes, very cool, thanks