Px3Kauppila – Hirttäytynyt Neito (EKZ Records, 2024)
In Hirttäytynyt Neito (The Hanged Maid), Pauliina Kauppila, operating under the moniker Px3Kauppila, crafts a haunting and immersive set of spell songs just in time for Halloween. Her music draws deeply from the well of Finnish cultural history. As a consequence, this album is a musical journey through time, emotions, and place; an invitation to explore the roots of an ancient tradition with a modern ear.
Kauppila’s focus on acoustic percussion is an homage to the rhythmic heartbeat of history. In Finnish folklore, spell poems, once used to heal the sick, protect against curses, and commune with the divine, are the spiritual ancestors of these compositions. Kauppila’s haunting vocals and diverse percussion take center stage, evoking rituals performed in the shadows of dense forests, the crackle of fire, and the murmur of ancestral voices.
Her work draws a fascinating parallel between the natural and the surreal, mixing influences as eclectic as the atmospheric tension of David Lynch’s cinematic world and the spirit of David Bowie. But within all of this, there is a grounding in Finnish tradition, a deep reverence for the folk practices that shaped her homeland. You can almost feel Finland’s wilderness, hear the rustle of ancient trees, and sense the weight of stories passed down through generations.
Vocally, Kauppila mesmerizes with a combination of reverberating chants and spoken word, delivering her lines as if conjuring a spell. Notably, Kauppila’s dual identity as both a percussionist and a psychiatrist is pivotal to the album’s conceptual depth.
This album is a reclamation of lost rituals, a reminder of the power of sound to transcend time and space. Through her mastery of global percussion and her deep understanding of the human psyche, Kauppila has created a work that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally stirring.
Musicians: Pauliina Kauppila on berimbau, udu, sun drum, cajón, congas, pandeiro, triangles, caxixis, shakers, kalimbas, drum kit, vibrator, cymbals, chimes, crashers, singing bowls, jaw harps, keppi (2-string slide bass), acoustic version of keppi, whistles, bird sounds, nose flute, sound effects, vocals, throat singing; Minna Koskenlahti on frame drum; Marjut Komulainen, spoken word; Janne Storm on piano and setara; Jenni Venäläinen on Finnish 10-string kantele, Finnish concert kantele, spoken word; Sanna Tanninen on tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, and sound effects; Paula Präktig on piano and prepared piano); Dile Kolanen on electric bass.
Buy Hirttäytynyt Neito.
Author: Madison Quinn
