CESSNA.

First band in the Radio Khartoum universe. Generally considered the godfathers of Finnish indiepop at this point. But RK likes them because they're quirky, they disagree with us, and they never fail to surprise. Oh, and the trick to distinguishing Sami's vocals from Tomi's is to listen for Tomi's smile. Dead serious. Works about 80% of the time. More (dis)information on Cessna? Download the press release (pdf, 2.3 MB) for Terminus.

Two years in the making, Terminus could easily stand as Cessna’s masterpiece. For their third Radio Khartoum outing, the Finnish pop ambassadors have finally put longtime keyboard companion Mikko Ojanen (of analog synth outfit Nu Science) behind the producer’s desk. The resulting album expands considerably on the Cessna palette, but thanks to Mikko’s warm production and exquisite editing (and the band’s impeccable taste!) what should be a bumpy ride of mad segues proves an intense and satisfying voyage: pop by way of the classic Scandinavian breeze, Os Mutantes and Gainsbourg, garage and psych by way of The Famous Boyfriend, The Monochrome Set, Velvet Underground, Section 25 and Can, laid back and spacious cowboy riffs as best exemplified by Cessna themselves, a gorgeous rainy-day synth and acoustic guitar number no one knows quite how to classify, and a haunting piano and feedback epilogue.

Our Finnish lads are back at last, with a set of seven postcards and late Valentines to bring us up to date on their travels since leaving Bordeaux. A record showing the seasons and the effects of the moon. Four songs that are softer than before, more lush, and more emotionally charged. The warbling basslines and jazzy chords are still in effect, but vintage organs and analogue synths pick up momentum on this outing. The mix this time also features some lovely trumpet lines. The songs are beautifully balanced (when you hear the devastating opener, “Summer Boy Winter Girl”, you’ll understand why we wanted balance) by a pair of up tempo instrumentals perfect for speeding down the coast of Crete on a stolen scooter to. The whole package gets a definitive rain-soaked (and cheerful) wrap-up by a third instrumental, “Go Easy Gavin”, a low tech number courtesy of the infamous Lira organ that will shock and delight. Hints this time of Belle & Sebastian, Cloudberry Jam, and Cinnamon, but basically, this is Cessna.

“Time Ticks Away” is the rainy-day synth and acoustic guitar hybrid from Terminus. While on the album the song is rendered with moody restraint, this 12" unleashes the song’s synthpop potential with a very respectful remix (they used to do them like this, didn’t they?) courtesy of analog outfit Nu Science (whose Mikko Ojanen has frequently joined Cessna on keys over the years, in addition to producing the new album). The “handmade” version is Tomi Cessna’s original home recording, radically different from what the song would evolve into, but a lovely item all the same. Flipside remix by Sami Koivikko breaks things down in a dub way: modern and chill. This 12" is a self-release by the band.

Equipped with the latest analog technology, Radio Khartoum breaks free of the Earth's gravitational pull and sets out in search of The Soft Rains of Delta Cephei. Leading the charge are Spain's Souvenir with a chilly bossa that heads from the sea to the Milky Way. Cha Cha Cha alum Spacehonky takes us on an electronic journey through zero gravity to a close orbit around one of Jupiter's moons. France's Hitoribocchi returns from The Stations of Abandoned Days with a decidedly 2001 classical groove for heavy spacecraft in deep space. Japan's 800 Cherries touch down on seemingly familiar solid ground with a laid back icy pop song - but it's hard to be certain if they're really on Earth or not.  Instant Life (Sweden) are on Earth, to be sure, but their retro-futuristic thriller theme forms a wrinkle in time. Finnish RK stalwarts Cessna team up with analog synth maestros Nu Science for a triumphant finale, a voyager theme, destination unknown, but blissful... Umbrella not included. All tracks exclusive.
Further details? See the press release.

CESSNA: Bordeaux

khz197 - 2x3" CD sold out

In August 1997, Radio Khartoum presented its first release, 13 songs on two 80mm CDs from the future Finnish kings of smooth DIY pop, Cessna. The double mini CD gimmick was justified by the fact that the two discs played like two distinct sides of an LP.

Elegant and eclectic by turns, Bordeaux blends laidback bubblegum riffs with flavors as diverse as Razorcuts, early Daily Planet, young Monochrome Set, the Monkees, Young Marble Giants, and warbling basslines à la Field Mice or Factory-era Wake. Topped off with breathy vocals and a dusting of whimsy. The antique “Lira” organ, which accents many of the songs, is of suspected Italian origin, and deserves to be mentioned in a sentence of its own.