AAVE is a new album by Otso Aavanranta, a Finnish composer-researcher working at the interface of electronic and acoustic music.
Aave is Finnish for ghost, or phantom.
The album intertwines compositions from two imaginary times: a series of piano works from an early summer morning in 1952, and a set of electronic pieces from a late October evening in 2022.
Piano notes played seventy years ago by unknown hands set in motion electronic processes four years ahead.
As time inflates and becomes bi-fold, personality becomes transparent, objects cease to exist as defined points in space. Sounds dilate into a phantomatic presence.
The music is full of ever-changing textures, and multi-layered. Luminous and spatial in the 1952 piano works, dark and focused in the 2022 electronics. AAVE is non-polished, sketch-like; a sculpture that retains the coarse beauty of its original materials.
AAVE is Otso’s third solo release, a new affirmation of a highly personal sonic quest. No ready-made electronics here. The album is composed with personal recordings of a 1952 upright piano, custom-coded sound processing modules, field recordings and synthesizer patches.
OTSO’s execution is virtually flawless. The title AAVE, which translates as ghost or phantom, directs our attention to the album’s often mysterious vibe. But make no mistake. The disc is packed with deeply engaging performances. There is a high degree of technical skill here pre- and post-production.– The Moderns blog
