keijo "flying over" $12
The godfather of the Finnish Underground is back with his most complete album to date. Keijo Virtanen's far-reaching hands can be felt throughout the Nordic peninsula from his home in Jyväskylä. While he often performs in numerous groups such as The Free Players and Kheta Hotem, it is in his solo work that he is most accomplished. Virtanen is not just a talented and prolific musician, but also and artist and published author. His inspiration and creativity know no bounds. At 54 years-old, Virtanen still rides his motorcycle all over the country and shows no signs of letting up.

V irtanen finally took his show on the road this past autumn, touring with members of Uton and Vapaa throughout Northern Europe. He also released two CDs on the much heralded Last Visible Dog imprint. "Flying Over" is the culmination of a landmark year for this troubadour. These nine tracks run the gambit of all of Keijo's talents, from the rattling blues transgressions of "On the Edge," to the throatsinging-laced organic drone of "Late Night Here & Far Away," and completed with the harmonium-laced " Virtanen's range is pure magic.

While the bulk of "Flying Over" is entirely Virtanen's creation, he is joined by two of his closest collaborators on two tracks: Sami Virtanen and Jussi Karsikas, two extremely talented Finns in their own right. Whatever the moment calls for, though, Virtanen fills the void and the empty space with exactly what is needed. He is a wizard of sound and a seemingly endless well of magnificent music. It shouldn't be surprising for someone who makes their home at the center of the universe.

tracklist:
1. flying over the plains
2. on the edge
3. easta claro si
4. keep close
5. vapauden kaijo/long for freedom (w/ jussi karsikas) (audio sample)
6. with refreshing touch
7. she's a rolling stone sang mr. wilkins
8. late night here & far away (w/ sami virtanen)
9. what you always think of

Praise for Keijo:
Keijo's music draws all manner of textures (Asian percussion, throat singing, Jew's harp, subtle digital sound manipulation, distant drone, etc) to concoct a rustic, mystical take on traditional Finnish folk-- perhaps similar to American folk surrealists Sun City Girls, though to my ears, bleaker and more mysterious. - Dominique Leone, Pitchfork

Creaking, homemade sound sculpture derived from various strings, droney rumbles, percussive clatters, bells and more is what Keijo appears to be all about, but an ever present, near devotional quality dominates things as he veers from primitive improv to droney lo-fi world music, disjointed folk detours, homemade noise symphonies--all connected by an oblique surrealist thread--which makes sense given this was probably recorded in a bedroom somewhere near the Arctic circle. - Lee Jackson, Womblife