Quickies (from original in German, Feb 2024)

Maailmanpuu is a Finnish combo founded in 2012, which released its debut album in 2019 and has since been releasing albums on a biennial basis. Kaimalkuu is already their third work, and with a consistent line-up: Kimmo Villa (guitar, vocals), Antti Lehtomäki (bass, guitar), Jussi Portaanpää (drums), and Sampsa Heikkilä (keys). What’s offered is an entertaining 42 minutes of a blend of symphonic prog, folk prog, and krautrock. The singing is in their native language, which at first might sound a bit unusual in combination with their music, but it definitely carries a certain charm. They’re never really heavy or overly experimental, but it takes a bit of time to immerse yourself in the musical worlds of these men from Helsinki. However, it’s worth the journey, as some fine arrangements reveal themselves to fans of the genre.

EMPIRE MUSIC