Rättö ja Lehtisalo – Spiritismi

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Like the music of fellow synthpop freak Jimi Tenor, that played by the duo of Rättö ja Lehtisalo seems to come from a strange otherworld of their own devising, one where off-kilter percussion and jazzy notes sidle at the beck and call of Mika Rättö‘s distinctively weird vocals. It’s not even because they’re in Finnish, because Mika has an international delivery offset by the trademark tendency to surprise at any given turn which he also brings to his vocal work in Circle alongside Jussi Lehtisalo.

So while there’s none of Ed Benttonin briljantti stabilismi tai taivaallinen kylpysaippua‘s eccentric synthpop mania, nor even Kopernikus Hortoilee Näkinkengässä‘s archly motorik‘n’melodic pop, there is plenty to marvel in here, from the shuffling rhythms and soaring organ to the chorale swell which brings the title track to an almost triumphantly outré conclusion. Rättö’s singing on “Pilvivuori” is as beautiful as its ever been, alternating from operatic to intimately confided in hushed tones, a marvellously understated gem from a far-flung corner of the pop sphere where darkness and light meet in perfect synchrony.

The only problem with this 7” is that it may be a passing phase in the musical life of Rättö and Lehtisalo. Never ones to bother with remaining in any particular genre for long before (re)turning to yet another project, it’s almost guaranteed that whatever they have to offer next, full-length or otherwise, is likely at the very least to be interesting even if wildly different. Thankfully, there’s more than a good chance that – like Spiritismi – it will be close to unfettered genius.

-Linus Tossio-