Another reviewer on Discogs once mentioned while reviewing a Mika Vainio release how the term 'minimalism' is often overused but also describes a certain form of musical mutation which is beyond the temporal limitations of commercial music, and hence never truly goes out of style. This being said (although I am interpreting the explanation, not offering a direct quotation) it is therefore safe to assume that 'minimalism' is both eternal and timeless as such morcels of sonic artistery can be thoroughly enjoyed pretty much any time, any place, reguardless of which era we happen to be, without ever getting a feeling of pop nostalgia nor secret shame for a 'has been' piece of music.Mika Vainio's 'ONKO' is a collection of pieces recorded between 1996 and 1997, and was for a while often considered a fan favorite of the artist's numerous solo outings.
Perhaps other listeners will consider this album not as perfect or complete as some of his other works, but as a point in time, 'Onko' is a great reflection of where the artist was in terms of non-linear explorations of sound purity and its natural (and synthetic) brilliance and decay.' Kelvin' begins the disc, an almost 9 minute reminder of how one can use tones and fuzz which could only be described as noise without falling into the usual over-indulgeance of such styles. It is a rather non-aggressive and non-threatening piece even though its out-of-tune transistor radiowaves feel would suggest otherwise.
Following with 'Jos' (translated as 'If?' ), an almost inaudible high-pitched tone grows in volume until it is accompanied by lesser earache inducing drones with a cumulative effect of an unerving audio test experiment.
Mika Vainio Onko Rar 2
Perhaps not as abbrasive as the opener, but deffinately a lesser easy listening experience.We are then transported to 1996 with the 36+ minute title piece 'Onko parts 1 - 11' ('Is It?' ), which has a note stating it was a sound installation for an art happening in Holland. Ovbiously a more attention demanding track due to its sheer length, it also offers the most movement and variety albeit somewhat still static in aesthetics. It requires a certain amount of appreciation to be able to notice the subtleties offered throughout the numerous movements of the track, which includes a hint of field recordings as well as some pulse manipulations which create a sense of rhythm without having to resort to the thumping of drum machines. 'Onko' is obviously the deffinitive track which deffines both the album itself as well as showcases Mr Vainio as both comfortable and an expect in the art of controlled audio chaos, seeing as how everything appears warranted and planned, as if nothing was left to chance, something of a true rarity in the domain of non-linear abstract electronic experimentalism.
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