ES

Es is a solo-project by Sami Sänpäkkilä who not only runs the wonderfull label Fonal but also is a member of Kiila. His cds for (K-RAA-K)3 is a trip through a typical Scandinavian wasteland full of fantasies and solitude emotions. Thee atmosphere recalls a bit of early Labradford or Dead can dance releases. The conjunction of guitars, field recordings gives a kind of desperate, but hopefull meaning to his music. Other Projects: Kiila, Velvolino

Sateenkaarisuudelma | dblp - sold out

"Sänpäkkilä has achieved what can only be described as musical perfection. [...] This is highly, highly essential!" - Bryon Hayes / Foxy Digitalis 10/10 "A stone cold, quiet classic." - Boomcat.com "...most profoundly psychedelic mesmerism to come out of the scene to date." - David Keenan / The Wire "This album is pure; it cleaned the cobwebs right out of my musty brain." - Bryan Berge / Stylusmagazine

“Sateenkaarisuudelma contains songs I’ve played live since 2002. These songs were composed and recorded during the same period I made Kaikkeuden kauneus ja käsittämättömyys cd. At some point it became obvious I was doing two albums at once. Also I soon realised that these songs would benefit and work well in vinyl format allowing me to divide songs to different sides and also give them an aging and changing format. With Sateenkaarisuudelma ready for pressing already in July 2004 I started my journey to Canada, Toronto where I studied fine arts for four months. During this time I also made a ten day tour in USA with Miriam Goldberg on cello, Jeffrey Alexander on guitar and effects, Tara Burke on vocals and keyboard. Shary Boyle did live drawings on overhead projectors. It was an excellent collaboration and the fruits can be heard on the second LP’s side C. Maailmankaari I and II were recorded in Boston at the WMBR radio station. Side D finishes of the trilogy with two songs composed as early as 2002. I’ve recorded the first song Universaali totuus at least five or six times. This version was recorded in June of 2005 just before sending it to pressing. Pianokaari was mutilated, cut and changed for three years. These two songs span the whole duration of the recording and creation of this double album. All this time Juri Puhakka was working on the drawings on the sleeves. Featured on the cover is me with rainbows ponting directly at my hands. It represents hope for understanding dreams are within ones grasp. Other musicians featured on the covers are Suvi Mäkinen who has been a part of the Es live line-up many times. Jan Anderzen and I have collaborated on so many occasions that the facts get blurred. Elissa Määttänen has appeared on all but the first album and continues to contribute her vocals to Es live shows as well as the recorded releases. Other musicians on the album are Jeffrey Alexander and Miriam Goldberg from the Black Forest / Black Sea duo and Laura Naukkarinen (aka. Lau Nau). All my gratitude goes out to these people who have been an integral part in the birth of this double LP. “ Sami Sänpäkkilä, october 2005 [KED02]
reviews (11)

Kaikkeuden kauneus ja käsittämättömyys | cd - 12€

Kaikkeuden kauneus ja käsittämättömyys (The Beauty and Inconceivableness of Everything) is the third solo album by Sami Sänpäkkilä, and the second release on (K-RAA-K)3. Sami Sänpäkkilä: “This album has been in the making for two years. While touring with Es between 2001 and 2003 the concerts were orientated on ambient and drony guitar sounds. Some of these songs were heard on the Dutch VPRO radio stations De Avonden’s 45 minute special on Es and will be recorded later for a release. I record all the time. But because I could not find a way to record the songs I had been playing live I recorded something else. I think it was no sooner than august of 2003 that I realised that I had almost two hours of new material. Recorded on various locations and with equipment varying from the most hi-fi studio to a small Onkyo dictaphone. These songs were different from what I had been playing live. They are more poppy, melodic and the structures are somewhat more conventional. Most importantly they have lyrics. I am still puzzled with this album. It still feels fresh. The songs are almost like thoughts I have mistakenly spoken out aloud, extremely personal and strangely fragile. There are many sources of sound that can be interpreted as music concrete, pulsars and noise culled from my SETI-at-home processes, hammering in the apartment downstairs, c-vitamins wheeze and scissors cutting my hair. I also used many conventional instruments on this album. One of the most important was a piano which is heard on most of the songs. I do not have a piano so I had to go to my friends to record all the piano parts. This also resulted in many collaborations. All of them my friends and some with no previous musical background. One of the most important collaborations is with my friend and colleague Ville Leinonen with whom I share a similar romantic ideology. Ville sings and has also written the lyrics to the title track of the album with me. Other guests include members from Kemialliset Ystävät and Avarus on various instruments and vocals heard all through the album. The songs on this album explore the same themes heard on the previous two Es records; melancholy, pathos and hope. The overall mood is darker, gloomier and more ominous. The album is self reflection. It is about trying to create a better place to live in instead of explicitly judging or criticizing the world that we live in. The songs on this album explore the same themes heard on the previous two Es records; melancholy, pathos and hope. The overall mood is darker, gloomier and more ominous. The album is self reflection. It is about trying to create a better place to live in instead of explicitly judging or criticizing the world that we live in. The paintings, drawings and photographs on the covers, all of them made and given to me by my friends, are an extension to the sound and an essential part of the album. They further explore the music and give an idea of how I see the sound visually. An almost lost shimmer of hope somewhere in the dark corners of the world. A rainbow on every black and white page. This album is a dedication for the sad, the depressed, the insomniacs, the strayed, the fearful and the lonely. Today, tomorrow.� - jan 2004 [K041]

\"The evocative use of loops evolkes the damaged starfields of William Basinski and early Industrial pioneers like Two Daughters, wile the meancholic grandeur finds an echo in the evanescent peaks of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Just fantastic.\" - David Keenan / The Wire / july 2004 [K041]
reviews (12)

Flick | cd - 12€

Second one in the guitarimproseries (first one was Shifts). This Finish guy is pretty young but has a distinctive feel towards his guitarplay. Excerpts from his talents could be found on the Killa 7\"s but here he is operating alone on his selfbuild guitar and other \"soundlabs\". It\'s dark and quiet with lots of floating, hissing and inspired contructions. Every now and then a melody pops up which brings together the harmony between impro and a \"listenable\" experience. As for guitarplay he got his own way in \"sweeping\" his strings. Es becomes soon something very personal and introspective in each individual life.

[K019]
reviews (0)

DISCOGRAPHY

On (K-RAA-K)³:
KED02 - Sateenkaarisuudelma dblp
K041 - Kaikkeuden kauneus ja käsittämättömyys cd
K019 - Flick cd

DOWNLOADS

Klink
Rainpipe
Sädekellot (Kaikkeuden kauneus ja Käsittämättömyys)
Surullisille Onnettomille... (Kaikkeuden kauneus ja Käsittämättömyys)

HELLVETE lp

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AFTERNOON SAINTS dblp

Unique collaboration by Lee Ranaldo, Christian Marclay, Günter Müller and David Watson!
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HI-TECH

STAGE

We are looking again for interns to prepare the next concert season. There is a preference for students communication, social/art or IT, en this for minimum one month. Mail voor more info to dave@kraak.net.

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