Positive Wave - 2024 - Metsälapsi

(53:57; Humu Records)

Track list:
1. 1930 5:07
2. Varpunen 3:19
3. Lato 5:02
4. Kupla 3:24
5. Ritariperhonen 1:49
6. Toukokuun Lokit 5:28
7. Maadisko 5:16
8. Iiris 4:20
9. Pelota 5:45
10. Japanin Laiva 5:17
11. Metsälapsi 9:10

Line-up:
Susan Karttunen - vocals
Pekka Kalliosuo - guitars
Jani Häggblom - keyboards, piano, vocals
Ayhan Akbez - bass, mouth harp
Henri Onodera - percussion, bass
Henri Tuomi - drums, chimes
with:
Sini Palokangas - saxophone
Susanna Salama - saxophone
Janina Lehto - flute
Samuli Peltoniemi - trumpet


Prolusion.
Finnish band Positive Wave have been around in one form or another for a good while it seems, with the band establishing a presence on social media as far back as 2007 but with the band history going all the way back to 1998. They released their official debut album "Positive Wave" back in 2010, following what appears to be a handful of self-released EPs in the years prior, but since then the band haven't been all that active in the recording studio it would appear. Towards the end of 2024 the band were ready with their second album however. This creation is called "Metsälapsi", and was released on the Finnish Humu Records label.

Analysis.
This album, from the cover art itself and into the music proper, is a bit of a time trip, with moods, modes and sounds that transports us some 50 years back in time. Back to the era when music itself was progressive and the boundaries and expanses of the rock music universe grew from month to month and week to week. With progressive rock probably being coined as a genre direction around that time as well.

It is always interesting hearing contemporary bands having a go at this more expressive manner in which to create music, especially those who really take in the spirit of bygone decades and embrace the idea that style conventions are topics one really doesn't need to bother considering. In this case with a band that also appear to have taken some cues in the mix, production and mastering department in order to explore this type of sound and approach in a full fledged manner.

The end result here is an album of material that really defies music conventions, or at least established musical styles and genres. Most of the songs does come with psychedelic impulses of some kind or other though, albeit rarely as a dominant part of the proceedings but more like a subtle and just about ever present feature. In a similar manner we get jazzrock details and ideals scattered all throughout this creation, especially in the rhythm department, but also with some tasteful guitar ideas pulled in directly or indirectly from the funk tradition. While some melody and harmony details from instruments as well as from vocalist Karttunnen appear to look towards folk music and world music in terms of inspiration.

The different compositions become a bit of an amalgam of these different types of music. Sometimes with a more straight forward combination of elements, in other cases blending and mixing elements from these sources of inspiration in a more quickly and elaborate manner. There is always a focus on the songs being accessible and enjoyable though, with an uplifting air to many of them that fits very well with the band name here, as this is a positive wave of retro-oriented music indeed. A lot of the drive, momentum and charm does come by way of vocalist Karttunen though, with a full control over how she choose to apply her voice and with a tone and timbre that strikes me as very much appealing indeed. And I suspect that charming is the essential characteristic I should give this album as a total experience too. Or perhaps a bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Conclusion.
Positive Wave's second studio album "Metsälapsi" is a creation that should appeal to many who love and treasure the progressive rock of the kind that was explored and released around the time and era when the genre was first described. A happy and often uplifting and playful mix of elements from jazz, folk music and rock, explored with creative glee in a progressive boundary-free manner. If you tend to enjoy the playful and expressive varieties of accessible progressive rock that was released sometime around 1970 in general, and fancy bands of that type that make use of jazz and folk music elements in their creative and progressive take on the rock music legacy, then this album will probably be regarded in the same manner as I regard it: As a charming and nostalgic creation of musical joy.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, January 2025

Links:
http://www.positivewave.net/
https://www.humurecords.com/