We have another album review later today (well it's just rambling words, rather than a review) but first an update on a new project from Finnish musician Jari Oisalo, whom we first featured back in 2014 when Nordic Music Review had just started, although at that time it was as lead songwriter in the excellent shoegaze band 'Tyynyt'. Now he's involved in a project for a new band, called 'Salainen avaruusohjelma' - I realise that none of you need the translation, but anyway it's 'Secret Space Program'.
Anyway the new track is called 'Buffalo', and it's been rotating on my new music playlist for the last week, because it's a slowly addictive song that will seep into your consciousness, gently persuasive and quietly compelling. Even better is the slightly bizarre story that is told in the track, the shortened version of which is that there's a guy in the forest and fields on an August night / morning who eats moss and honey, then receives a Telegram from himself, rides off in a coach covered in pine needles and clay, and then washes himself in the river - after that everything in his life seems perfect. Somewhere there's a Buffalo too. It sounds like one of the tales I tell about rural live in Devon as a youngster, drinking scrumpy and making crop circles.
Now you really do have to give this a couple of listens, because the softness of instrumentation and laid back guitar theme doesn't quite fit into the 'festival banger' category, but I love the lovely subtle touches of guitar that sit in the background, and the vocals set out this dreamy idyllic tune that do conjour up the image of the guy in the forest. Although why he's eating the moss will thankfully remain a mystery to us all.
Take a listen to 'Buffalo' here.
I particularly like the fact that the track is over 6 minutes long, because it shows 'Salainen avaruusohjelma' clearly write music that they want to, rather than to fit in with the 3 minute 30 second radio playlist requirement. Oh and the good news is that they are releasing an album in the next couple of months, which will be titled Tähtijuttuja" ("Star things"), which we'll definitely cover in some form. There will be another single before that, and if you want to hear one more track then have a peek in Soundcloud, because there's a slightly more up tempo song there called 'Yhden hengen juhlat'.
Find them in all these places.
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/salainenavaruusohjelma YouTube: https://youtu.be/bd91VstQyWk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salainenavaruusohjelma Twitter: https://twitter.com/salainenavaruus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salainenavaruusohjelma