The world of art is always eclectic. Yes, you have your line-up of artists that are typical industry plants or shills, and you have the extreme underground to balance that all up- the neo-Stockhausens of our time. It takes effort these days to find music that can be distinctly unique, due to the dichotomy of business versus art when it comes to this field. However, today, we shall make it easier for the audience to chance upon a body of work that is filled to the brim with originality and a direction rarely seen in mainstream music by presenting an artist to you. Meet Px3Kauppila.
Px3Kauppila is a door to another dimension. A musician, a percussionist, and a nascent psychiatrist, she mixes her vast and unending worlds: that of psychiatric observations, a hybridised musical repertoire spanning all kinds of folk and world music, as well as reality itself. Reality holds a primordial role in the construction of her artistic vision, being the canvas for the paint of the possibility to carve its own niche. She cites David Lynch and David Bowie as her influences, two names that you don’t just drop casually. I am aware that Bowie used to infuse psychological and philosophical influences into his own body of work, and I am curious to see how the memetic flow evolved through Px3Kauppila’s artistry.
Her latest release, a solo album titled ‘Hirttäytynyt Neito’ translated to ‘The Hanged Maid’ is self-described as ‘a manifesto, an insurrection and an exaltation to acoustic percussion instruments‘. She ventures into the world of incantations and ancient spells through the artistic intent of this album. Her own relationship with these incantations and spells itself is intimate, and exploratory. Px3Kauppila describes the role of these incantations as a messenger that has revealed to her, a bright bridge connecting the world of modern medicine with the ancient past. She also mentions the use of Finnish incantation: from curing diseases to extricating witches from this medium. She still maintains her own personal niche and touch within the artistic manifesto of this album, employing interesting drumming time signatures as well as a variety of percussion instruments to expand upon her database of instrumental knowledge. The album also aims to highlight the endemic inequality in our society, as well as open conversations on the perspectives of autonomy. In a last bout of wisdom, Px3Kauppila also quips about the ‘human need to find solutions and to nurture’, as a silver lining to this album. With the gist of the artistic intent of this body of work, let us delve deeper into the world awaiting us within this release.
As you listen to this album, it is imperative that you refer to the original lyrics, the lyrics translated to English, and the background story behind the songs. This can enhance the experience of listening to each songs with added context and improve your understanding of the artistic stories behind each composition.
The first song, ‘Pahainen Plikka’ / ‘Poor Girlie’ starts off with a melange of interesting foley. The sharp twang of glass, mysterious vocals and the sound of birds come together catastrophically (in a great way) before the percussion enters the song in a crisp and sharp manner. The bass is fairly well-developed in this song, with the vocals quite strong. My only critique about the intro verses is how generic the chords sound, as the intro and song structure already beg the listener for a structure that is already quite unique. Even though this small quirk slightly turned me off of the song, the quick change of the time signature immediately drew me back in. The percussive element of this song (and the whole album) is quite significant in how it paints the picture of the story of the song. The harmonies of the song almost remind me of Bjork in a weird way- in fact, instead of David Bowie or Lynch, that is the closest artist I can compare this artist to. Eccentric time signatures, a distinct voice, and an artistic boldness enough to add certain sounds as part of the soundscape… it all melds together beautifully. After referring to the lyrics and the story behind the song, I understand the ‘trance’-like element of the lyrics and how the instrumental ties in to the theme. It is almost like a reverse mantra.
The second song, ‘Ei ukolle suostunut’ / ‘Refusing an Old Man’ starts off with percussive elements that have an extremely warm timbre. Indeed, the use of congas and the frame drum cajón lead to this warm timbre. The main melodic element of this song has a microtonal nature and that honestly appeals to my ears, as I am a fan of microtonal melodies. The chants come in gradually, having a choral tone to them with the concept of a ‘trance-like’ rap reciting the main component of the lyrics. I’ll say, the mastering of the voice mixed with the percussion in the background and the wispy melody does draw you in to listen to the story in the lyrics itself, unlike other songs that try this approach and often fail. The addition of synthesized effects in the middle of the song serve as a bass/lower-tone contrast in the song, giving it a holistic and whole feel. Even though I have to keep referring to the lyrics to understand the stories behind the song, the way it is presented give it an almost mystical feel that keeps me drawn to it. The lyrics play out a devastating and cynical tale of obsession and rejection, conflating with biblical and cult-like seances and imagery. It has a wonderful sickeningly subversive appeal to it, even though the tale exposes the irony of human behavior and lack of volition itself.
The third song, ‘Usein Sinä Sumuinen’ / ‘Time and Again, You Misty One’ begins with a contrasting and confusing melange of whispers that delicately wrap your ears as it pans from left to right and vice versa, before tender keys emerge with distant bird calls. A heavy low-tone piano sequence enters the song, as it delves into insanity with the circular melodic rhythm. This song is possibly one of the best songs in the album thus far, with the varying amount of emotions packed into one with all the various instruments. I love how the pitch of the circular rhythm modulates throughout the song before it goes into the classic thematic motif of the album- an interesting time signature cushioned with a delicate and captivating chant. The strong bass matching the syncopation of the time signature itself gives this song all the character it requires, with the vocalist’s voice employing more interesting vocal techniques throughout the song not simply through modes of singing, but in terms of production: layering and filtering. I think another thing that truly sticks out about the track is the compositional structure of the song itself. It travels far and then drags you back constantly into the loop of the song. Thematically, the song deals with the anguish of someone leaving their nest to marry someone in even more unfavorable conditions. The musicality of the song matches the themes of despair, and the literary quality of the chants makes it even more fascinating.
The fourth song, ‘Tuothan unta‘ / ‘Please Grant Sleep‘ possibly has the best intro out of all of the songs on this album. It starts off with a distinct dissonant foley, with a ‘THX’ esque descending and ascending sequence before it lends itself to the main structure of the song. It is cold, yet warm and full of depth and perception at the same time. I truly appreciate the eye for detail and the addition of polyphonic sound sequences be it through lone vocalisations or sound effects throughout the song. In this particular song, the tone of the vocalist almost sounds dark and ethereal, likening it to a production by Blutengel in their earlier years. The song just evokes depth and an indie-type of warmth throughout, with the use of panning strategically done to strengthen the effect of the verses. The use of berimbau in this track also gives it a slight tribal feel, without completely going into the realm of something ambient. The production is also stellar. The scales the vocalist goes through while singing the track is quite fascinating, as they deviate from regular scales- showing a sign of musical variability and skill in of itself. The theme of the song revolves around sleeplessness, anxiety, and the unfulfilled anticipation from going through the motions of lack of sleep- something that a lot of us experience, but I’ve never truly heard anyone try to musically recreate it as accurately as this track has done from the perspective of the human brain. A wonderful work of art.
The fifth song, ‘Laittakaa kehä kaikilta puolin palamaan!’ / ‘Burn the Circle!’ takes inspiration from a very underrated David Bowie track titled ‘The Heart’s Filthy Lesson’. Honestly speaking, that is one of my favourite Bowie tracks, and seeing someone pay homage to it is truly a breath of fresh air. The initial notes through the guitar get new life breathed into it, this time with a didgeridoo-like resonance. It’s like someone took off the high ends from the initial sample track and gave it a more mid-tone character, which makes sense given the trance-rap nature of the vocals of this particular song. I can hear slight percussive elements giving the sample more variation. I just wish the best part of The Heart’s Filthy Lesson was added to this song, through Mike Garson’s spontaneous piano trills, but I also appreciate the individual take of this song. In terms of the theme of the song, deals with the root causes of melancholy and sadness and how they evolve into current thoughts. The lyrics derive from once again, another incantation, which I think as I revisit the reference source as I listen to the album even further, gives this body of work a literary depth almost akin to Kate Bush’s knack for paying homage to literary works for the lyrical content of her songs. There are words that have once been uttered, never to be uttered again, and I think using them in the context of music is extremely necessary.
The sixth song, ‘Ikiyö’ / ‘Endless Night’ is also another masterpiece within this album. It starts off with various degrees of noise and foley that builds a spooky atmosphere. Another thing I have noticed throughout listening to the album is the use of cinematic compositional techniques instead of merely sticking to compositional norms within the ‘music’ world, and I find that quite inspirational. Instead of sounding cheesy, it gives the song a multitude of extra dimensions to play with. As the foley unfolds, a woodwind instrument enters the track in a unique scale, slightly Arabic sounding almost. It ends with a flair towards the end of each measure. It gives off the feel of mystery, sophistication and complexity all at once. The incantation in this particular track is extremely well-mastered to fit the theme of the song, with effects added at each stanza of the vocals. Percussive elements give the track a rhythmic edge, with the didgeridoo-esque drone roaming in the background to trap you within the scope of the song. I really like the quirk of the woodwind instrument in this track, as if it is indeed a saxophone, it’s rare to hear people infuse that instrument with darker tracks. Even though it’s rarely done, when done, the timbre is extremely inviting and sexy in the best way. This song is not just a song, it is a performance art piece. You’ll understand this to the core as the vocalisations unfold throughout the song. Thematically, the song infuses a spell and also deals with the question and description of impernance- in whichever interpretation you wish to employ. Either way, I think the slight ambiguity in the lyrics is well embraced by certain aspects of the song, such as the instrumental drone making you ‘trapped’ within its presentation. This song honestly has the compositional depth that truly isn’t that direct, it is very multifaceted.
Last but not least, the eighth track presents the best for the final goodbye before the album ends. The title track, ‘Hirttäytynyt Neito‘ / ‘ ‘The Hanged Maid’ is a ten-minute track presenting itself in the form of a trilogy. We will analyse each segment as it unfolds. The first act, titled ‘RISUMETSÄ‘ / ‘The Thicket’ thematically deals with the artist’s work as an adolescent psychiatrist, especially with a patient’s suicide being one of the psychiatrist’s worst fears. It also deals with the complex interplay of factors that does deal with child suicide, exemplified through the analogies of the lyrics and losing oneself in the rite of passage to other people. Musically, the piano improvisation started off through the pianist Paula Präjtig playing in the Phrygian scale specifically. Moreover, the percussive elements in this act and the second act also involves the work of the great composer Arvo Pärt– through improvisation in the style of flamenco’s soléa, representing solitude, inner pain and despair, as well as the concept of tintinnabulation, the art of ringing bells.
The track starts off with a distance between the notes, spaced out in an extremely contemplative manner. It gives me an abstract sense of a fleeting pendulum expressed through sound, especially with the addition of bells. The track then goes through a deeper percussive element, with the bells modulating between different notes. The bells are very distinct to me, they are dark yet childlike at the same time. The improvisation in the piano also reminds me of my own personal bias for sharp trills of notes spaced out, instead of a long and connected passage. It is very haunting, but charming in its own way. The vocalist presents the lyrics more tenderly during this track, narrating the start of the story itself. It definitely matches the thematic intent of the first act. It is cold, and spooky, yet tender and rustic at the same time. Juxtaposition would be the best way to describe the mode of composition within this track. As the pianist glides on, the distinct formation of the chopped-up melodies takes me through a jagged journey that is also oddly sleek.
The second act, ‘AITTA‘ / ‘The Storehouse‘, takes the motif of the first act to a deeper level, exploring the possibility that suicide is an act of preserving dignity and autonomy. It bears the opening questions, ‘Who decides who is silenced? What kind of a girl is the right kind of a girl?’
Musically, it marks a transition to the previous act seamlessly, with deeper sounds evoking the feel of the void. The vocalist’s delivery becomes more distinct and clear, yet more pained as the story unfolds. The pianist’s notes become more ‘faded’, in a way, almost in a Rhodes-like fashion, with the use of dramatic elements in the background of the instrumentation building up mental tension and a frenzy. I have to admit, the musicality at this point builds up an emotional tension- even if it is short, that it brings me to tears due to its depth for a split second.
The third act, ‘ÄLÄ ITKE ÄITISENI‘ / ‘Weep Not, Mother Dear‘, thematically deals with the final idea of suicide cemented as an act of dignity. There is no degeneration, only honour to fulfil the torment of the tormented mind and the sacrifice of sacrifice itself. It presents itself with the opening questions, ‘When two worlds collide – Who is there to comfort the mother?
Is a girl ever the right kind in the eyes of society?
What kind of a girl is the right kind of a girl?
The daughter reconciled her situation in her own way while maintaining her dignity, self-esteem and autonomy. This work is a canticle for the silent and the silenced!’
The lyrics deal with the perspective of the mother and the daughter, almost in a call-and-response, exploring the relationship between both perspectives and how ‘fluid’ it could be.
Musically, I feel like the homage to tintinnabulation is even stronger, with the various modes of instrumentation in the background. It tickles my brain in a very delicate way. However, I notice the use of ‘cold’ sounding sounds within the isolate instrumentation, so the addition of a strong and warm bass plus acoustic guitar helps to bring the track back to a ‘warm’/humane ground, connecting to the theme of the lyrics and topic at hand. I also have to commend the vocalist for using two different modes of vocalisation for each segment of the dialogue, helping to further paint the scene before the final ring of the bell.
All in all, this album truly put me through a journey. I feel like it helped me discover aspects of myself that I had hidden for the longest, not just through the lyrical and the thematic aspects of the album, but also through the familiarity and the eclectic nature of the instruments used. I am a person who always appreciates and tries to also implement the unexpected in my own compositions, and this album truly inspired me from start to end. This isn’t just an album or music, this is an auditory performance art piece. The wonderful mind of Px3Kauppila definitely sticks out throughout the album, as you have to truly commend the effort and the artistic intent behind each and every one of these tracks. Some people are musicians, and some people are people merely making music, but she is a true artist who mixes the art of art- expression, storytelling, ingenuity, expansion, exploration, and diversity all in one through her music.
It is also extremely rare for me to find artists with a cohesive storytelling-like narrative when it comes to a compositional intent, with the last person on our platform matching this level of intent being Didier Recloux with Monsieur Linh and His Child. It takes a lot of foresight to even craft a storyline and refer to literary works of art when it comes to transforming and transmitting it into music. The odd time signatures, the vast amount of instruments used and the amount of scales modulated within this album itself is groundbreaking. However, I have to point this out: one thing makes it where all of these aspects I just named can meld together, and that is Px3Kauppila’s raw, unabridged relationship with herself and her perceptiveness.
Rating/Outstanding – Hirttäytynyt Neito / The Hanged Maid is a mind-blowing album that solidifies Px3Kauppila’s role as an authentic composer and storyteller. It will take you through a journey, forcing you to face topics that you think you’ve forgotten about and expose you to vocal and instrumental techniques that you might have never heard before. Listening to this album is like uncovering a book with lost tales, just like the lost tales that inspired this album itself.
[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]
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