Monumental and microscopic at turns, rarely has music moved so effortlessly between folk music, psychedelia, electronics, and the classical orchestra.
MAAILMA are now returning with their second full length album, SPECULUM. Apart from augmenting their sound with instruments like the Hammond Organ, the Harpsichord and the Celesta, for the followup to 2008's NOITALAULUJA, Maailma have been collaborating with a small orchestra of string and woodwind players.
Henrik Olsson: drums, marimba, home-made electronic percussion
Malin-My Wall: violin
Bridget Marsden: violin
Jonna Inge: viola
Johanna Dahl: violoncello
Leo Svensson: violoncello
Matilda Blomqvist: flute, alto flute
Gustav Rådström: clarinet, saxophone
Antti Tolvi: mallet banjo on Puut täynnä hedelmiä
Mattias Olsson: bottle opener guitar on Pimeää ainetta
Helena Espvall: electric cello on Valtakunta.
All music was composed and performed by Laura Naukkarinen, Matti Bye, and Kristian Holmgren, except as indicated below. All lyrics were written and sung by Laura Naukkarinen. Puut täynnä hedelmiä was composed by Maailma and Antti Tolvi. Varjojen ratsastajat was composed by Maailma and Henrik Olsson. Tuulinen was composed by Laura Naukkarinen and arranged by Kristian Holmgren. Tähdistä kalpeimman and Pahaa elämää were composed and arranged by Maailma and the string ensemble. Orchestral arrangements on Valtakunta and Tuulinen by Kristian Holmgren, and on Yön Peitto and Kultaa by Matti Bye.
Kultaa contains a sample from “Spitsbergen” by Walrus, used with the kind permission of the Electricity Recording Co.
Produced. edited and mixed by Kristian Holmgren. Basic recordings by Maailma. Additional recording by Janne Hansson. Mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde at Virtalähde Mastering.
Recorded between 2008 and 2013 at Brännkyrkagatan 41, Atlantis, Hollow Earth, Roth Händle V, and at home in Stockholm, Sweden and on Kimito Island, Finland.
An ethereal combination of harp, electric guitar, and near-subliminal vocals, sounding not unlike a lucid dream only dimly recalled after awakening. neu-mann
Deep, interesting, strong and emotional. Just a great work. Liz Harris will always have something strong, special and surprising in the best artistic way. risovic
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Australian singer Jessica tempers ornate baroque folk with stark gothic poetry, infusing sadcore with transcendent sensibilities. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 26, 2020
This hits all the buttons for me - Piano based with big-sky treatments, lots of lower register action, and that certain unsettled quality shared with the best of Budd&Eno's classics. Not that it wears intentional influences in any way by those two artists-this is a totally stand alone future classic of the genre. Thanks to the Artist's and TRS for bringing this to life and letting it go. MIKE GOODSELL