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XL Jukola (Pohjola Records, 1998)


A four piece band from Finland, XL's second album Jukola
showcases a breathtaking depth of sonic collage in eleven songs
of melodic, instrumental rock.  Jukola mixes throbbing
dance beats with rock and jazz passages, spacey ambient
sections with driving rock riffs, live instruments with
electronics and processing, all framed in eccentric
arrangements with dynamics that range from whisper quiet to
rock clamor.


Jukola sounds immaculate, with sonic textures ranging
from traditional guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, to
electronic percussion, effects, samples, and rhythmic vocal
chants, to live saxophone and a string quartet.  XL wields this
broad sonic palette with subtlety and restraint in sparse
arrangements of calm sections, such as the trio instrumentation
of the middle section of "The Dream Master."  This section
gradually builds with brief accents from the string quartet and
a synth bells patch.  Where appropriate, the music rages with
intensity in luxuriant arrangements, such as the closing
section to the title track with layered guitars and strings.


Although the arrangements and sounds leap from one to the next
with a quirky originality, the melodies often follow
predictable patterns, such as the guitar lead at the end of
"The Dream Master," the saxophone in "The Palace of the Great
Vizir of Angst," the guitar progression opening "Markiisi
Humus," and the guitar chords in the closing of "Jukola."  The
easily accessible melodic fragments do keep the focus on the
intricate arrangements, but melodies as unconventional as XL's
sounds and arrangements might create an even deeper and more
challenging listening experience.


XL demonstrates a mastery of sonic development and placement on
Jukola, mixing the traditional and the most unusual
within conventional melodies.


Reviewed by Scott Andrews [sha3u@Virginia.edu]


More Information:

www.musicfinland.com/xl





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