Mixing archival recordings with new music is hardly a novelty anymore, but on Joku Raja Rakkaudessakin (Even Love Should Have Its Limits) the Finnish ensemble Pauanne use them in inventive ways, on songs that explore the contradictory nature of love in people’s lives, illustrating them with old pieces from the Finnish and Karelian archives.

Aided by seven other musicians, the second album by the band carries a crisp fullness, especially on the opener “Pelkkä Persevä Neitsyt,” which arrives with a strident, a full-on attention-grabbing announcement of their presence.

The band is at its best when it steps back a bit and lets in some light and sweetness, as on the very appealing “Neiti-Heikki,” where the old recordings becomes a seductive part of the flow, working with the new melodies to create a whole that defies time.

The original compositions have power and style, but it’s the history that becomes the star of the show. But, can it really continue as a inique selling point?

There’s plenty to enjoy here, and it’s very certainly a real step forward from the studied weirdness of their debut. At this point, though, the question is what does the future hold?

Find the artists online.

Further reading:
Pauanne - Pauanne
Jaune Toujours - Vertigo
Alterne - Alterne
Faraualla - Culla E Tempesta

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