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"​A bubbling cauldron of avantgarde rock, psychedelic jazz, art pop and echoes of the 1980s 'no wave' weirdness, KUU! references a vast amount of influences yet still manages to project a firm and original identity."

"The album being so well-organized and aurally multi-faceted, it is at times hard to fathom that the music was improvised and recorded during a single session."

"Excellent job, one and all."

"Nevertheless, the shining star of Around Again is undisputedly Iro Haarla. It is her inimitable, spectral touch that carries the music at least as far as it originally travelled in the hands of Carla Bley."

"Concerning the musical styles on this record, Lassy & co. most likely has faith in the old proverb saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"The interplay between the hard-charging and the low-key provides a tantalising backdrop for Paakki’s masterful playing and compositions."

"A tasting menu of contemporary Finnish jazz recorded at Berlin’s Monarch Bar."

Are you interested in a lively and authentic debate about contemporary music? FMQ probes interesting aspects of music in, from and beyond Finland. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive monthly news about our publications.

In many respects, Finland is held up as a paragon of equality. Yet even now in 2018 equality has not been fully attained in the music sector. There is a drive to level the playing field, using tools developed jointly by operators in the field.