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Review:
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Kataya is a trio featuring 3 experienced and successfull
Finnish musicians, one plays keyboards and the other two
keyboards, bass, guitars and drums. On their debut CD entitled
Canto Obscura the band also makes use of several guests
on vocals (including highly acclaimed jazz vocalist Johanna
Iivanainen), guitars, soprano saxophone and organ. The inspiration
comes from the deep wild forests of Finland, one of the
last pure and clean, untouched spots of nature on our planet.
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After almost 35 years of listening to progrock, it
still happens that I am pleasantly surprised by new unique
and genuine progressive (rock) music, in this case it’s
Kataya with their wonderful blend of folk, ambient and prog.
The atmospheres on the 12 compositions often are dreamy
or contain slow rhythms with subtle, even a bit fragile
use of keyboards, guitars and a wide range of instruments,
from modern keyboard sounds and saxophone to accordeon and
12-string guitar. To me it sounds very warm and pleasant,
if I close my eyes I can imagine the beauty of the lush
and pure Finnish landscapes that has inspired Kataya to
make this music. In some songs the climates turn into more
dynamic and bombastic like Putkivaara (sensitive guitarwork)
and my favorite Avojaloin: first acoustic rhythm guitar,
then we can enjoy flashy synthesizer flights, a Hammond
organ solo and an exciting, perfectly build-up fiery guitar
solo by the outstanding guest guitarist Samu Wuori. And
in some songs wordless vocals (a kind of Finnish answer
to Pink Floyd’s legendary song The Great Gig In The Sky)
colour the music in a very special way, pretty compelling.
- What a beautiful and captivating effort to translate
pure nature into pure progresssive music!
www.progwalhalla.com
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