Ø – Kantamoinen

I find it difficult to consider this a proper album, as Ø or otherwise. Instead of the intelligent electronica of this project's previous albums, we get sixteen pieces of droning, shimmering ambience that overall fail to take away from the lingering impression that these are somewhat unfinished ideas. Still, the sounds here are engaging and inviting, with a keen ear for melody, especially on the final track.

Kantamoinen proves that Mika Vainio is not keen on repeating the Metri formula ad nauseam. Instead of minimal techno, what we get here is nothing but bliss and delicate (I even read somewhere "romantic") approach of electronic elements, whatever the source : antenna frequencies (3), filtered voice, drones (4) or even some 808 sounds. Very minimalistic (what a surprise!) but not as scarce as one could expect. Far from the arid territories of Raster-Noton sound, what you get here is instead another facet of minimalism : poetical Autechre-like experimental ambient (specially concerning the melodies) that drifts in and out of time, space and texture; all in all carefully crafted in miniature formats.