Review Summary: Solitude, solemnity, tranquility
The Finnish kantele, a 5 to 32-string, triangle-shaped zither with a distinctive bell-like tone, is customarily an instrument of the solitary musician, reserved for private, in-home playing by firelight in the late evening. In the old days, few kantele players performed publicly, so few ever witnessed their musicianship, aside from family members and curious woodland creatures.
Ambient folk duo Nest meditate on the rich heritage of this instrument, which is as integral to the band’s sound as it is to the culture of their native land, with
Mietteitä, a surprise release that surfaced in late August 2015. The album, consisting of 25 improvisations presented warts and all alongside the occasional traditional melody, aims to offer a glimpse into the old way of kantele playing, where musicians played for themselves, letting their fingers dance along the strings in profound connection with the instrument.
As the subject matter suggests, this journey is a personal one. Nest Founder Aslak Tolonen is clearly envisioning specific images while playing these tracks. Moments throughout the album’s 1-hour, 16-minute runtime succeed in evoking the aged musician being carried away under the spell of an ancient tune, wrapped in thought, free of time (“Jokin vetää puoleensa”, “Metsä herää”). Others perhaps wander a little too far and long, but such is the risk of allowing music to flow so organically.
The approach is a fairly stark contrast to Nest’s previous efforts. Whereas past records paired synthesizers, Lapland drums, and voice with kantele melodies to aurally capture the atmosphere of vast snow-covered landscapes or the hidden pools and waterfalls in the woods, the music of
Mietteitä is markedly more pensive and intimate. If
Trail of the Unwary embodied bold forays into the unknown,
Mietteitä is more akin to weathering a summer storm in a faraway, derelict cabin. The music is more tethered to tradition and only features a handful of experimental qualities. Tolonen soaks his playing in a deep echo and punctuates it with sparse percussive elements. Warm ambience swells in an out of earshot and wah pedal textures a few pieces (“Kietoutuneena, kätkettynä”, “Virtaus”).
This style lies at the heart of Nest’s music and never before has the core been so exposed. The result is entrancing, but at times it is rendered somewhat inaccessible by its intensely personal nature. This may be a shortcoming, but it's not a deal breaker. Overall,
Mietteitä beautifully conveys a centuries-old tradition with the respect it deserves.
