"Korpi", the Finnish word describing a dark and old forest. But please, don't let that put you off as being another melancholic dreary recording from a band who's love lives are faltering. 'Puu' is an inordinately moving experience of hope and desire, love and real life. The fascinating fragility of Johanna Iivanainen's voice, the mesmerising and magnet relationship she has and enjoys with the accordion of Hannu Oskala and the keyboards of Arttu Kataja. Aided with the marvellous and sympathetic double bass and drums of Tero Tuovinen and Pekka Saarikorpi and guitar of Petri Kivimäki, she so often soares to the magical heights that saw her win the Sony Jazz price in the year 2003 in Finland. Emotion carries so much weight when singing about love and life. Johanna Iivanainen's emotion is detailed and additional to the norm. And then, when you feel she is all about being susceptible to instability and vulnerability, she lets loose in 'Blind world' like a rocket heading to outer space. Power, composure and commitment also carry so much weight in singing the songs you choose to live your life by.
The feeling that accompanies 'Puu' is so far from being unsatisfied. In fact, you couldn't wish for more in a song based long player. In a world consumed with 'want', this was a unexpected and delightfully pleasing inward sensation to say the least. It has a lovely manner and bearing and balance on ones spirit. Some how expressing something new and something old, and all at the same time too. Music to be becharmed by, captivated and enamoured, yet far from being a foolish or unreasoning fondness I feel. Korpi Ensemble are simply a band that deliver astonishing emotion and truthfulness in their music, and it is just so hard to not let some of this emotion filter through to ones own heart.
This album has the wonderful crossover potentials that really exhilarate and excite.