Finland's
Kemialliset Ystavat, a collective a` la
Incredible String Band led by
Jan Anderzen,
devoted their entire career to droning improvised freak-folk
for casual chanting, atonal strumming and primitive drumming.
They started out with limited-edition releases on a variety of formats,
such as the cassettes Latvasta Laho (1999) and
Lumottu Karkkipurkki/ The Enchanted Candy Jar (Huutomerkki-nauhat, 2000)
and the seven-song EP Pieni Palatsi (2000), which is compiled on Suurempi Pieni Palatsi (Alice In Wonder, 2001).
Their free-folk philosophy was best summarized on
Kellari Juniversumi (Fonal, 2002), from
the organic industrial symphonic dissonance of
Puiden Sydamet Antavat Tahdin to
the ghostly lament amid increasing harsh distortion of
Kellari Juniversumi,
from the
moribund dance
of Taivas ja Meri Yhteen Sulautuneina
to
the melancholy chant
of Utuaurat,
from the random strumming and plucking of Monien kalojen aalto to the
out-of-tune carillon of Kuuma tomu, from the
squall of noise of Pallo to the
electronic closer, Heijastuksia Kaikuja, five minutes of
radio signals in a galactic nebula.
The albums that followed were just repetitions of the same ideas, rarely
developed beyond what a stoned hippy can possibly muster:
Alkuharka (2004),
and
Latvasta Laho (Celebrate Psi Phenomenon, 2005), with longer compositions/improvisations.
A new departure was marked by Kemialliset Ystavat (2007), a set of
sound collages of psychedelic folktronica and musique concrete, notably the
dense, multi-layered and chaotic street march Lentavat Sudet,
the hyper-stoned strumming and chirping Tulinen Kiihdytys,
the hypnotic sloppy collective shamanic chant Nakymattoman Hipaisuja,
the pounding and spiraling goofy "Kraut-rock" imitation Superhimmeli,
the frenzied cartoonish ballet Himmelimenetelma,
and
the neurotic Terry Riley-esque repetition of Valojuopot.
The only "song" that sticks to
the free-folk style of the early albums is the closer,
the funereal Tibetan psalm Himmeli Kutsuu Minua.
The album is a cross between
Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music and the
Holy Modal Rounders.
The seven-song EP Harmaa laguuni (2008) contains equally electronic
fantasias such as the seven-minute Synti Muissa Maailmoissa.
Anaksimandros, a Kemialliset Ystavat side-project, devoted Life Is A Skullbow (2001) and River Of Finland (2004) to a primitive form of free-form tribal noise.
Fricara Pacchu is the dance-pop project of Kemialliset Ystavat's Kevin Regan. After several cassettes, he released Midnight Pyre (Lal Lal Lal, 2008).
Hevoset (Dekorder, 2008) was a collaboration between
Jan Anderzen of Kemialliset Ystavat and Hirvonen of Uton.
Anderzen also launched the project
Tomutonttu with the 20-minute piece of the
cassette Triplapuisto (Huutomerkki, 2006),
with
the dissonant chaotic folk music of Tomutonto (Ultra Eczema, 2006 - Fonal, 2009) and
Tomutonttu (Beta-Lactam Ring, 2007 - Fonal, 2009), an oneiric journey
with bird calls and medieval-sounding ballads.
Sami Sanpakkila adopted the moniker Es and released the solo albums
Flick (2000),
A Love Cycle (2001),
Kaikkeuden Kauneus Ja K„sitt„m„tt”myys (2004),
Sateenkaarisuudelma (2005),
Kesamaan Lapset (Fonal, 2009).
Kemialliset Ystavat's Ullakkopalo (Fonal, 2010)
boasts a vast arsenal of collaborators.
The band also released
Alas Rattoisaa Virtaa (Dekorder Records, 2014) and
Siipi Empii (Ikuisuus, 2018),
albums where they rediscovered
the traditional song format.
Tomutonttu returned with
the 38-minute piece of Hylyt (2012),
Trarat (2016),
Kevatjuhla (2017),
Hoshi (2021) and
Halki Pilvien (2024).
