Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Aqua-Wreck — Facade
((Not on label) AWLP24001, 2024, LP)

by Jon Davis, Published 2024-08-21

Facade Cover art

Facade is the debut full-length album from Helsinki’s Aqua-Wreck, a very eclectic quintet of young musicians with a slightly twisted take on progressive rock. With a lineup of Totti Kaarle (vocals, trumpet), Taavi Heikkilä (woodwinds, keyboards, percussion), Lauripekka Muurinen (guitar, flute), Kalle Korkeamäki (bass, keyboards, percussion), and Tatu Tyykilä (drums, percussion), they have a large variety of sounds to draw upon, and they take full advantage of that variety. Kaarle’s voice is a dramatic baritone, setting the band apart from all of the high-voiced outfits, and his trumpet provides a very uncommon flavor in progressive rock. They also have a sense of humor, as on the opening track here, “The Strangest Song (Ja simbilam malibmis aJ),” which reminds me a bit of Tusmørke. And “Ah! Per l'Ultima Volta!” is an instrumental version of an aria from Puccini’s Turadot with trumpet taking the lead. “In Their Rendering” is some nifty odd-meter prog with the sax and trumpet making it into something really special. The wind instruments are not inflected with jazz at all, so there’s more the feel of Classical chamber music, especially 20th Century and beyond given the occasional dissonance. When electric piano is in the mix, there’s a touch of Canterbury, and when the keyboards focus on organ, it’s more like Wobbler. All around, it’s a fascinating mix, and it’s refreshing to hear this kind of music played in a way that really hasn’t been done before. The unusual combination of sounds might seem awkward at first, but further listens pull it together nicely.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Aqua-Wreck

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.