Aika laulaa

Sammal

From Svart Records website, "SAMMAL has always been a melting pot of all music we […]
December 18, 2022
Sammal - Aika laulaa album cover

From Svart Records website, "SAMMAL has always been a melting pot of all music we like. If in the past we used to be heavily into bands like CAMEL, DUNGEN, and OPETH when working on this album we'd listen to everything. We'd also pick the language of a song's lyrics based on what we felt would fit the mood of the song. This album has songs in Finnish, Swedish and English." The album has eight songs.

"På knivan" is the first. The opening sound is a staccato attack, but the music is quite weird. I mean, I love Progressive Music, but this is just strange. I do like the bass work however, but the disconnect in the leads with the melody is stark. "Sehr kyptisch" is another strange and somewhat psychedelic offering in a different language than English, which is fine by itself. The keys rattle with an old school quality. "Returning Rivers" features a little more of a straightforward sound, but the way the vocals are delivered in near monotone pitch is just strange. The chorus does have some melody, however.

"On Aika laulaa" is a longer offering, with some dreamy tones in the opener. But again, the vocals are just odd. The guitars move with psychedelic elements, and the drums keep a slow and steady beat. "Jos ei pelaa" is again a little more linear of a song and is just over three-minutes in length. It sounds to me like a "matter of fact" kind of song in the way it's presented. "λ" might be the oddest song on the album, especially considering the weird, trippy elements. The guitar work is fairly bossy however, and I like that part of their sound. "Grym maskin" is yet another strange song. The vocals almost make it a throw-back sound in many ways,

"Katse vuotaa" closes the album. It features a bluesy sound in the leads. Overall, one of the main considerations I have when evaluating an album is "who is the intended audience?" Or, in some case, "is there an intended audience?" In both cases, the answer is the same...I don't know. If I can't find a discernible audience, I can't recommend the album. Consider the unassuming album cover factored in as well. The band play with confidence, but this music is just too strange.

5 / 10

Mediocre

Songwriting

4

Musicianship

7

Memorability

2

Production

7
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"Aika laulaa" Track-listing:

1. På knivan
2. Sehr kryptisch
3. Returning Rivers
4. On aika laulaa
5. Jos ei pelaa
6. λ
7. Grym maskin
8. Katse vuotaa

Sammal Lineup:

Unknown

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