Established Finnish artist Jori Hulkkonen is back on home label My Favorite Robot with ‘Don't Believe In Happiness’, another fantastic full length.
Hulkkonen’s last album—of nine so far—came in 2015, with one before that coming in 2012, both on this label. Each one shows him to be a real synth master who can craft devastatingly emotional tracks that are infused with elements of dub, pop, nu-wave and techno. Following the release of the title track as lead single, the full album reveals itself to be another moody but beautiful affair that has evolved stylistically once more.
The icy and churchy chords of ‘Tintån Terdel’ kicks things off, with mid-tempo drums down low making for a brightly lit tune full of feeling. After the single comes ‘We Will Tear Love Apart Again’, a suspense-filled track with no drums but whispered vocals that drift above gentle synth turbulence. More cosmic tinged grooves come from ‘Lowlife Crises,’ while ‘Reach Out to China’ is a celestial affair with glowing chords and ambient smoothness. ’I Think About Your Car When I Drive Mine’ is an inventive track with echoing ‘80s chords and pained vocals above percolating clicks and pops.
The second half of the album journeys through pop leaning tracks with heavenly chords and well sequenced synths; abstract affairs where modulated sounds bring computers to life and then more dance floor orientated tracks like ‘Moon Is Real’ which surges along on a silky, celestial techno groove. ‘Just A Phase I’m Going Through’ is an edgy and energising retro-future pop cut, and the whole absorbing and artistic album comes to an end with the blissful layers of chords, pads and zoned out vocals on ‘New Ideologies.’
This magical album is another subtle development of Hulkkonen’s style that goes way beyond the dance floor and makes for a truly rewarding listen.
Tracklist:
1. Tintån Terdel
2. Don’t Believe In Happiness
3. We Will Tear Love Apart Again
4. Lowlife Crises
5. Reach Out To China
6. I Think About Your Car When I Drive Mine
7. Sometime You Win, But Not Very Often
8. Breen Fantasy
9. I Am The Night
10. Water Wars 2021-2027
11. Moon Is Real
12. I’m Just A Phase I’m Going Through
13. New Ideologies
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