Pajavasara

We all have days when we believe we can split rocks and are immortal (don’t we?). If so, look no further than Finnish accordionist Toni Perttula for your soundtrack. The title of his debut album means ‘Forging Hammer’ and the track ‘Rauta (Iron)’ is the one that gives you ‘energy, here and now’ says Perttula. He’s described as ‘a true musical blacksmith,’ and you’ll understand why pretty quickly. Perttula’s accordion playing is lyrical and athletic, while his programming takes us into the blacksmith’s workshop with primal sounds reminiscent of hammers and anvils. He’s forged his identity by creating his own musical landscapes, revelling in the sometimes overwhelming, dark beating of metal, and at other times recalling a blacksmith’s exquisite attention to detail as in ‘Talvenselkä’ (Height of Winter), which begins with the icy wind and heavy snow, a winter that builds into something powerful. There’s a real playfulness in the tango-like ‘Takouma’ which is, apparently, all about dents: you can learn to tolerate them, thinks Perttula, but ultimately you have to hammer them out. Ever open to experiment and new challenges, it will be interesting to hear how he develops.