Review Summary: An indispensable glimpse into the misty, inner world of shamans.
Ten years of potent artistic success is worth celebrating. In 2007, Finland’s Tenhi marked their diamond anniversary with the release of
Folk Aesthetic 1996-2006. This 3-disc compilation documents the maturation of a band that has become one of finest acts in the dark folk genre and is completed by a spectacular 76-page booklet containing detailed liner notes, lyrics and their translations, and complementary artwork produced by founding band member Tyko Saarikko.
Progressing semi-chronologically, the collection begins with the band’s early demos and EPs (1997’s
Kertomuksia, 1998’s
Hallavedet, 2000’s
Airut: Ciwi) on disc 1 before transitioning to the alternative and unreleased material on disc 2. Some well-known melodies from past records may be discernable, but the numerous, subtle variations make these alternate versions worth perusing. “Tuulenkaato”, a heavier number included on
Maaäet, contains a previously-unheard guitar melody that twangs and winds around the song’s familiar piano and thundering bass. “Suortuva”, the cello-laden centerpiece of the band’s sophomore effort
Väre, is retextured here with a crashing drum performance. As for the unreleased material, “Kausienranta” with its steady, thumping rhythms and “Linnuit” with its lulling Ebow guitar fall among Tenhi’s greatest compositions.
Three incarnations of the expansive, sullen dirge, “Kielo”, are presented here, offering insight into the evolution of one of Tenhi’s most affecting pieces. The foundation remains largely unchanged throughout the song’s stages of development; however the sound world varies considerably. The demo version, “Luo Varjo” on disc 3, emphasizes the song’s more ethereal qualities with a pronounced strings and electric guitar presence, while the 1999 version on disc 2 stresses pacing with a defined drum role. The latest version, which originally appeared on
Airut: Ciwi, returns to the demo’s delicate roots and delves even deeper. Drums are shelved in order to explore moments of near stillness and allow space for beds of hopeful string and woodwind arrangements and echoing guitar.
Disc 3, an “unreleased album” comprised of reimagined demos and unreleased tracks, is the highlight of the set. Had it been released on its own, this 9-song assemblage, entitled
Kaski, would sit comfortably alongside Tenhi’s best works. The “album” runs the gamut of styles that have come to typify Tenhi’s sound, while taking a more impressionistic approach overall. Songs manifest like brief scenes in time that have been translated into lonely, almost motionless aural landscapes. Primitive groans and buzzing guitar (“Koiranlainen Peura”) are tastefully juxtaposed with stark piano ballads (“Saradhus”) and nearly relentless melancholy. A morose pair of acoustic guitars bookend a section of swirling a capella on “Tuuli Varista”, one of
Kaski’s more experimental instances, and “Neidiie”, an extra lifted from the piano-driven
Airut: Aaamujen sessions, concludes the compilation on an almost sanguine note.
Folk Aesthetic is the rare example of a compilation being every bit as valuable as a band’s proper output. Three full hours of music is perhaps too much to digest in a single sitting, but the quality is so consistent throughout that the listener can press play at any point in this collection’s duration and be readily immersed in the experience. This trait makes
Folk Aesthetic an excellent starting point for Tenhi newcomers and an indispensable portal for longtime fans looking to deepen their knowledge of this extraordinary band.
