Põhja Konn is an Estonian band, formed in 2009 in Tallin. They have released two albums, a self-titled in 2016 and “Hetk. InSpereeritud Tüürist” on December 9, 2019 via Sot Music Oü. The album contains 11 tracks, and it’s available on LP, CD and Digital Download. The opener “Avamäng 2020” is a piece that starts with a sparkling Jazzy rhythm, with organ and Wind melodies and orchestrations. A good introduction on which an Estonian vocal enters, the atmospheres are positive. “Üksi olemise hurmav õõv” begins with an atmospheric and sweet plan, a passionate and intense vocal is inserted. With the entry of the instruments the intensity increases, we are in a Jazzy ground, with the guitar in the first floor, and in the middle of the song an instrumental section. Everything changes, and the atmosphere becomes darker with the keyboards that guide the sound, the initial theme returns and a good guitar solo is drawn in the end. “Igavik” is a song with orchestral melodies that is layered and two short verses sung, pompous and energetic. “Vä ik e eestimaine laul” begins with solid guitar and organ riffs, with the entrance of the cantata is transformed, with acoustic guitar and voice. After a few vocal lines, in the second part the intensity increases with the return of the instruments, led by the hammond. “Taandujad” after an intro female operatic convocation that is stratified, a piece comes to life with solid guitar riffs and organ inserts. More granitic, with time changes, always rhythmic and with marked Jazz influences. A good song, where, but, the singing is omnipresent, leaving little freedom to the instruments, suffocated by words. “Isamaa” is a short passage with string orchestrations and choral voices. “Pil li mees on alati tragi” is characterized by an accelerated Fusion style rhythm, with rapid guitar melodies and a solid rhythmic session with the addition of percussion. An instrumental track, where all the instruments are freer to express themselves, alternating between solos and giving life to the best moment of the album. “Päikesevene” is the longest track of all the work, with string melodies from the darkest tones. Unfortunately, the entire duration of the song is characterized by evolutions purely of strings, to the detriment of the Progressive or Rock component. “Antidolorosum” is again focused on melodies of strings only, with sporadic vocal interventions here and there. “Hetk” begins with keyboards and a spoken vocal, even here melodies and structure are not very developed. The narration occupies all the time of the track, without leaving even a second to the music, which is limited to being a background, even if pompous, without ever developing the theme. The album “Uus ja v ana” ends with a Blues-Rock style track, the rhythm is lazy blues, well executed with the organ at the center of the melodies, nothing, particularly original. An album that from the premises is proposed as Progressive, but that does not produce much of Progressive. The second part between strings only for strings or entirely covered with the vocal gives a minimum space to the Prog or Rock music. Better at the beginning but for lovers of 70s sounds and Prog Rock there is very little or nothing attractive. Placed in its proper context this album could certainly receive positive results, but for this genre, I find few ideas, it is still my humble opinion.
Tracklist
01. Avamäng 2020 (02:54)
02. Üksi olemise hurmav õõv (06:50)
03. Igavik (04:38)
04. Väike eestimaine laul (04:15)
05. Taandujad (05:42)
06. Isamaa (02:22)
07. Pillimees on alati tragi (05:51)
08. Päikesevene (10:00)
09. Antidolorosum (04:47)
10. Hetk (03:21)
11. Uus ja vana (03:28)
Lineup
Valter Soosalu – Keyboards, vokaal
Jürgen Kütner – Guitar
Kristen Kütner – Guitar
Ott Adamson – Drum
Siim Avango – Bass
Põhja Konn |Bandcamp|Facebook Page|YouTube Channel|
