Läjä Äijälä's electronic projects/albums

Started by Manhog_84, November 02, 2024, 09:46:13 AM

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Manhog_84

What are your favorites? I still haven't heard "Raskas Alzheimer" compilation, but always liked the title. Many of his works are very minimal, with monotonous rhythmic beats making a backbone for other noises and distorted vocals. Most of the releases didn't make much of an impression, but maybe they are slowly growing on me. Minun Vereni can be found on YouTube. Vihanmiehet III's first track is similar to the second album, with even more dominant techno beat. Vihanmiehet feels more like Läjä than BU, but I think their collaboration adds an aggressive layer that is missing from his solo works.

From older forum messages I noticed someone had hoped for a new collection of Läjä's comics. Earlier this year, Abraxas released "Kuolemisen taito", which I think is superior to previous X collection. Unfortunately, it doesn't have small English subtitles for foreign readers at the bottom, like X did.

Manhog_84

I'll answer my own question as I now heard Raskas Alzheimer. Might be the best of his solo works! It has a stale sound laboratory feel. The atmosphere is oppressive with buried, phlegmatic spoken word. Like a grim monologue while sitting at home, staring at the wall and waiting for death, while your mental state keeps deteriorating. Lyrics and titles are in Finnish. Not sure if Läjä's electronic works arouse anything outside Finland. This aforementioned title might be a good starting point.

MT

The Kolmas is my favorite by far from Läjäs elektro works, Kolmas Testi LP and Kolmas Musiikki CD are worth checking out for everyone.

FreakAnimalFinland

For reason or another, Veli-Matti Äijälä "kytkentöjä" cd may have hit me the hardest of his solo works! In a way, it has almost Mika Vainio esque electronic sound. Simple stuff, that made me wonder why I do like it so much, but ended up listening many many times. CD was edition of 100, but I suppose, like opening message suggest, despite his fame over here and for his hardcore stuff, I don't think noise or electronic music crowd know or care of his sound work that much?

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DBL

I haven't heard the Raskas Alzheimer CD, but Raskas Taakka one-sided 12" (included on that CD I think?) is great. Very bleak and minimalistic almost-nothing-happens electronics with quite a soft/muffled analog sound, and "let death come already"-themed lyrics are mumbled in the distance. Optimal length record for this type of stuff too, has time to make an effect but no time to become dull.

Minun Vereni is partially very good, but as a whole I was expecting more from it. Kytkentöjä CD on the other hand seems very humble, but is really good! Like FA said above, it's quite simple and there's nothing "spectacular" there, but I ended up playing it over and over as it just works great. Vocals are used quite sparsely but effectively. I think it was just about 30 minutes long too, so you can easily play it a couple of times in a row when the thirst strikes.

I have The Kolmas LP and the reissued Aavikon Kone Ja Moottori 7", but recollections of those are nonexistant. Need to replay those at some point. I've seen The Kolmas live three times though. The first time it was quite a formless jamming that made no impact on me, but the second one was great although maybe a bit long for my taste. Two or three guys on modulars, first checking settings on paper notes to create the base track and then altering it for a few minutes, and then switching to a new track and doing the same. Worked great. Third gig was played solo by Lene in a castle prison cell type of setting, and the best thing was how due to the acoustics the sound seemed to hit me from everywhere.

Äijälä & Nova collab CD Häxan was partially great, but inconsistent. However, the later Äijälä & Nova & Kandelin collab CD Forest was much more interesting. Minimalistic, ambient-vibed electronics, analog synth beats, dramatic female vocals. I think this CD played very quietly and I was worried there would be some "jump scares" after having to turn up the volume way up, but luckily there was not. Quiet stuff, but not weak or fragile.

Musta Toteemi has made a lot of releases, I think I have maybe 4 first of them, but haven't really given any of them enough time to really "get" them. It is often quite introverted stuff, especially the Pulssi 2xCD seemed to have been made without any care for audience sentiments heheh. Very minimalistic and un-entertaining. And I'm not saying that like it'd be a bad thing, it just means that it is not easily approachable material.

Ordeal & Triumph CD (collab with Albert Witchfinder of Opium Warlords, Reverend Bizarre etc) was discussed in some recent SI issue, and I got it after that as it was sold on discount. Läjä electronics isn't the hottest stuff, which is good for the interested buyer's wallet. But the CD is really good. Guess I am repeating FA's sentiments from the zine, but: minimalistic, at times almost cruel electronic-ambient sound mats and Scott Walker-vibed dramatic vocals. I haven't yet gotten their earlier collab as it didn't seem as striking when I played it online but this one has gotten multiple plays. Lasts for about an hour in total but it doesn't feel excessive. And while I use the word ambient, I don't mean that it'd be some formless humming. There are things happening and changing, but not really in a manner of "actual songs", even in the scope of industrial music. Abstract anguish and punishment, heheh.

Not really Läjä electronics as such as I think the electronics were played by Lene, but the opening track of Death Trip's Madhouse LP is fantastic. I first heard it as an online sample and thought there are two tracks playing on top of each other due to some error. Repetitive and raw noise rock topped with a barrage of fast and clear electronic bleeping that sounds like it shouldn't be there. The whole LP is good, but opening it like this was a shock in the best possible sense.

Svartvit

Quote from: Manhog_84 on November 09, 2024, 11:28:56 AMI'll answer my own question as I now heard Raskas Alzheimer. Might be the best of his solo works! It has a stale sound laboratory feel. The atmosphere is oppressive with buried, phlegmatic spoken word. Like a grim monologue while sitting at home, staring at the wall and waiting for death, while your mental state keeps deteriorating. Lyrics and titles are in Finnish. Not sure if Läjä's electronic works arouse anything outside Finland. This aforementioned title might be a good starting point.
Thanks for the recommendation! This reminds me of some of the calmer parts of STROM.ec so I'm eager to check out more.

Svartvit - Coma Cluster - Secret(e)