Sparkly disjointed pop by Finnish luminary Jonna Karanka
As part of legendary groups such as Avarus, Hertta Lussu Ässä and Olimpia Splendid, Jonna Karanka has been a
key player in the Finnish underground for most of this century. Through her Kuupuu alias, she dwells among an
illustrious generation of Finn sound wizards which includes Tomuttontu/Jan Anderzen, Tsemba/Marja Ahti, Lau Nau
et al. Through the collaging of warbled acoustic instruments and looped-up electronics, Kuupuu has long been
carving out her own lines into this post-free folk/neo-psychedelia lore.
Plz Tell Me, her first LP since 2013’s Sisar, was originally a self-released cassette through which new forms emerged
in the Kuupuu repertoire. Jungly orchestral arrangements meet slick dub-tinged productions in a series of pop tunes
for disjointed times: whether you dance or swoon or stare confusedly into space is up to chance. The original nine
tracks get the full LP treatment for this Belgo-Finn treaty renewal, with 12 songs that weave down endless summer
full of disembodied voices that moan and quaver as they murmur lullabies to punctured beats. Plz Tell Me opens a
dazzling zone for fantasies to inhabit and intertwine, where incongruent sounds and a noisy kit of dreamed storylines
knit a full tapestry of whimsical bliss.