D E C E M B E R 2003 / J A N U A R Y 2004 Last time updated 20 January, 2004 pHinn, pHinnWeb, Kompleksi, pHinnMilk Recordings, Tampere, Finland "he was so strong, he was so bold when they made him, they broke the mould" Bass Junkie: Deep Bass Matrix (12") David Bowie: Low / Scary Monsters and Super Creeps (CDs) The Egyptian Lover: King of Ecstasy (His Greatest Hits Album) (2-LP) Sami Koivikko: Salmiakki (CD, Shitkatapult) T. Raumschmiere: Rabaukendisko (12", Mute) V/A: Are We Too Late For The Trend? (12", Crème) V/A: Music Is Better Vol. 1 - Manchester vs. Helsinki (CD, Mate Recordings) V/A: Radio Caroline Sampler (Autechre/Alexander Robotnick/Kinesthesia) (12", Mental Groove) + Jorge Luis Borges: Haarautuvien polkujen puutarha / Collected Fictions Vol. 1 (books) Alan Clayson: Jacques Brel. A Biography (book) Philip K. Dick: Radio Free Albemuth / We Can Build You (books) John Fowles: The Collector (book) Leena Krohn: Mitä puut tekevät elokuussa / Pereat Mundus (books) Arto Salminen: Paskateoria / Turvapaikka / Varasto (books) p H a c t : Scott Walker 61 years on January 9, 2004 +++ Join pHinnWeb Mailing List (in English)! Silmu, Ura Records / Pacific-Atlantic Records, Helsinki, Finland JANUARY 2004 1. EPPU NORMAALI: Jäähyväiset rock'n'rollille (Album: Akun tehdas) As it appears, you can't take two things out of me: 80's (where I spent my teens) and my hämäläisyys (even though my genealogy is more Savo/Pohjanmaa-based). Anyway, the song in question is jolly tongue-in-cheek speculation about the possible effects of nuclear war on rock'n'roll. If you can't escape it, laugh at it! 2. BUGARI ORMOND: Koitereen aallot (Album: Valikoituja menestyskappaleita 1980-1983) A trip back to alternative history, where Bugari Ormond was a super-successful Russian composer. Comparison to Aavikko and Depeche Mode can't be avoided, but still Ormond manages to find his own voice among the layers of oscillated melancholy and two-finger basslines. 3. LOST WEIGHT: Dried White Petals (Album: Timber Kisses) On DWP (this time Jukka Vallisto with Aki Vepsäläinen) injects some new life into an old fossil called romantic piano piece. Starting with a lengthy intro of processed delayed notes and blooming into a can't-play-improvisation, the piece oozes with rare beauty. 4. PUPPET MASTERS: Stockholm City (Album: Midnight Graffiti) Those ever so clever Swedes let it rip on a track so electroclash (the obvious no-no-word for 2004) it hurts! Two possible approaches: a) you either split your sides with laughter while doing the apathetic new wave dance wearing smeared makeup, b) you don't get it. 5. O SAMULI A: Apinalaulu (off promo ep) O Samuli A's music lives in its own dimension. You expect the beat break loose at any moment during fragile intro, but lo and behold: the song just chugs along or less unaltered through it's run! Hypnotic. 6. ARMY OF LOVERS: My Army of Lovers (Album: Massive Luxury Overdose) "Manufactured" bands rarely get better than this heavily made-up trio of a business mastermind, hairdresser and busty model. Rumoured to be named after a skin flick, AOL's charm lies in the fact that their music is filled both with fun and drama. Musical influences include Grace Jones, Art Of Noise and house, just to name a few. 7. HARUMI HOSONO: Pleocene (Album: Omni Sight Seeing) A pioneer in his own right, Hosono is also known as a member of the trailblazing Yellow Magic Orchestra. His solo works are a curious mix of Japanese tradition, avant-pop, jazz, chanson and club musuc with a Hosono trademark 808 on nearly every track. 8. PEKKA POHJOLA: Matemaatikon lentonäytös (Album: Keesojen lehto) A track apparently so significant to prog-rock that there's even a borrowed short essay about it in the CD booklet. And there's no denying that it's the high point of the album with its spiralling melodies, Solina chords and co-producer Mike Oldfield's instantly recognizable guitars. 9. BLACK FOREST / BLACK SEA: Hung Far Low (Free Space Gallery Live MP3) BF / FS shows some relation to two of Satakunta's finest, Killa and Magyar Posse. Wide panoramas of misty folk sound by stringed instruemnts. I'm quite looking forward to hearing these people live on their Finnish tour. 10. GAVIN BRYARS: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet (Album: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet) Building up layer by layer on a tape loop of an old homeless Londonite singing a religious song, Bryars' piece has strange and formidable power. Want to see your chart here? Mail me. TIP: if you want to spare my time, readily HTML-coded charts are always preferred when sending one to me. Promos to pHinnWeb? Previous Charts: [1997] [1998] [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] Next Charts: [February 2004] [March 2004] [April 2004] [May 2004] [June 2004] [July 2004] [August 2004] [September 2004] [October 2004] [November 2004] [December 2004] See also: How To Tell Apart A Trainspotter's Top 10 From A DJ's Top 10 [pHinnWeb] [FinnScene] [FinnDiscog] [Scrapbook] [FinnContacts] [FinnScene - Early Years] [5HT] [Links] [FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions] Copyright © pHinnWeb + individual contributors of these charts, 2004. All personal opinions presented on this page are the contributors' own, and don't necessarily represent pHinnWeb's views. Any unauthorized reproduction of the charts presented here strictly prohibited.