tomutonttu - hylyt (12inch vinyl lp)

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Ever since hearing Kemialliset Ystavat's self titled 2007 album, I've had a big fond spot for Jan Anderzen. The meticulous and expertly mixed collage of sounds was really something to behold then, and that same style continues wonderfully on Hylyt, Anderzen's new album under his more prolific Tomutonttu moniker. What strikes me most about this work is how unified the seemingly random bursts of noise are around a central, almost compositional thread. Though obscured through the eschewing of traditional song templates, a composers edge is at work, with each squeal and squelch finding a specific home within Anderzen's far-stretching sonic cornucopia. Hylyt is focused on how timbres and textures interact and fit (or don't fit) together, and a constant sense of discovery pervades the album, as when bursts of worn piano notes butt against looped pitch shifted vocals, stuttering tom hits, and synth embellishments. On the surface this collage might seem almost overwhelming -- there is a lot going on. But again, the mixing and placement of each tone is precise enough to allow new templates to rise from the realms of noise. - Keith Rankin, Experimedia

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Tomutonttu is the solo disguise of Tampere's Jan Anderzen, head of Kemialliset Ystavat and (part-time) member of Avarus, Tuusanuuskat and the Islaja band. Anderzen is one of the focal points of Finnish underground music for the past 15 years with a zillion releases on some of the leading underground labels worldwide (Fonal, Ultra Eczema, Ducktails/Real Estate member Matthew Mondanile's New Images, Beta-lactam Ring, FatCat, Beniffer, etc.). Tomutonttu is one of his longest running projects and easily his most adventurous and consummate - combining otherwordly dada electronics, psychedelic ethno collages, animal noises, warped voice samples, synth flutter - all presented with a certain warmth and DIY charm that makes even the most chaotic freeform pieces accessible in an unexpected genial way. And despite of all the noise and liberalness there's always a strange compositional logic & strength at the core of Anderzen's music that is both inscrutable and heartwarming. The album is based on recycled tracks from several aborted releases(singles, compilations...), all revised; with newly recorded contributions by Dekorder label head Marc Richter (Black To Comm) adding a variety of electronic and acoustic noises. Hylyt is Anderzen's self-proclaimed “diploma work for the University of Bananafish". The LP is mastered & cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates&Mastering for maximum volume & fidelity.