11.18
Format: CD
Release Date: 18.11.2009
Country: Russia
Genre: Atmospheric Dark Rock
New album of this successful Russian band could be a real surprise for those familiar to early Kauan works mixing folk, black and doom metal. “Aava Tuulen Maa” shows musicians’ yearning for more lyrical and soft music filled with refined atmosphere of calmness and melancholy. Harmonic combination of guitars and male vocals with piano and violin gives birth to unbelievably beautiful melodies filled with dark romanticism and unbounded nature spirits. New Kauan album is addressed to fans of such bands as Tenhi, Subaudition, Nest and October Falls. The 20-page booklet is illustrated with watercolour paints adding new strokes to the musical mood of the album.
Tracklist:
1. Ommeltu Polku
2. Valveuni
3. Fohn
4. Sokea Sisar
5. Neulana Hetkessa
Review
HardSounds.it
77/100
10.02.2010
Russi, i Kauan compongono e suonano musica per l’anima. Frase fatta e abusata, direte voi. Come darvi torto, ma la mia non è affatto retorica. La realtà, essenzialmente. Senza stare lì a ravanare tra sinonimi e giri di parole, insomma. Questo perché “Aava Tuulen Maa” è un disco semplice ed emozionante che evoca sentimenti semplici che interagiscono con il mondo circostante. Un mondo quasi primordiale in cui sono il cielo e la terra ad essere attori principali. Ancestrale, ma mai mellifluo, mai ammorbante. Un flusso morbido di note, introspettivo, quasi new age, arricchito da arrangiamenti sopraffini e da strappi malinconici che fanno da contraltare all’idea “solare” di fondo. Quasi interamente strumentale, ha il suo unico difetto nelle poche parti cantate in cui la voce anonima scandisce il testo in russo, lingua dalla musicalità molto dura e quindi poco affine al contesto. Probabile che anche l’assoluta assenza di variazioni possa influire alla lunga sulla pazienza dell’ascoltatore, ma i brani godono di una qualità media alta tale da avvolgerti e portarti altrove, e certo non dove vige la disoccupazione emozionale. Terzo disco del duo, “Aava Tuulen Maa” si distacca quasi interamente dal metal, segnando un’evoluzione progressiva che se confermata anche nel prossimo lavoro dovrebbe portare i Kauan ancora più lontano da canoni e stilemi del rock, diretti verso l’assoluta libertà interpretativa. Nel mentre, questi 45 e passa minuti dall’incedere atmosferico e fascinoso sapranno coprire la distanza ed il tempo, conducendovi in una dimensione parallela dove conta lo spirito e non la materia.
Bucolico dentro.
Author: Andrea “Emo” Punzo
Review
Deadshop.info
5/10
Such coo release between Russian and Finish labels out recently. KAUAN is band from Russia, 5 years old and running by one guy and one girl. Their music is dark post rock, with some gothic touches in its structure. Here on this release are just 5 tracks, BUT they are pretty long ones, 10-12 minutes mainly, so plying time is long. Music on this CD is made on one breath, with such melancholic tunes and melodies, with both rock, instrumental and even ambient oriented means. The vocals are made by man only (the girl is playing on violin), and interesting thing… heh, the band is coming from Russia but all their songs are sung in Finish language?! Strange thing I have to say… Ok, let’s throw this out and look next into music. Also, this album will be good for listeners who like a lot not only melancholic, but also slow music, with no anything brutal or diabolic, and from this point, we have good light music in post-rock stuff. I can’t say I was impressed a lot, nevertheless these two persons did decent job, as music is well produced and recorded down. So if you would like to relax and listen light music, then KAUAN will be OK.
Review
Doom-Metal.com
31.01.2010
I’ve read some good reviews of the first album of this Russian band – ‘Lumikuuro’; I never managed to listen to it, but from what I could understand, this was a successful and well balanced mix of Doom and Folk with quiet moments and more harsh and heavy ones. I guess if we go on from that point, there can be some surprises with the release of this new opus (the third one) of Kauan. You said heavy parts? Growls? Are we speaking of the same band? [edit by admin.: No. The band parted ways with their previous style on their second album, 'Tietдjдn Laulu'. Here they exchanged most of the doom metal with post rock and a purer adherence to the Tenhi style.]
Discovering Kauan with this disc, I had no real preconceived ideas and no expectations at all. On ‘Aava Tuulen Maa’, the music is very quiet and calm throughout. It’s a soft world full of melancholy and listlessness that the Russians are painting. Everything seems to have been softened, reduced to a serene whisper. Gentle riffing, acoustic guitar, languid violin; some thunder that rumbles in the distance, some water running and murmurs of the forest. Kauan’s music encapsulates the emotions you can experience along a tranquil walk in nature by a quiet afternoon. You know, like in spring, when the air is mild and the sunlight filtering through the branches reveals the pollen slowly drifting in the soft breeze…
Most often, the piano leads the songs. Together with a discreet guitar play and some evanescent keyboard parts, they compose that sort of green setting where the voice comes to rest: it’s a soft and sober singing that mates harmoniously with the instrumentation.
It’s certainly not Doom. It’s not dark at all either. But it’s deeply melancholic like the softer Katatonia can be, like Tenhi, like Anathema with a mournful Slavic feeling on top of it. It’s beautiful and soothing. Sometimes, that kind of mood is necessary. Well, it’s so cinematic, that in a way, if you live in a city with no nature around but some meagre trees in some tiny parks, I’d recommend you to buy that CD. It’s a deep breath of fresh air.
Author: Bertrand Marchal
Review
Heavy Music
10/10
30.12.2009
А вот и третий альбом уже переехавшего в Финляндию Антона Белова. И это уже точно совсем не метал, хотя и предыдущий альбом подходил под околометаллическое определение с большим трудом. Но новый релиз – это прекрасный дарк-фолк, точней лайт-фолк с элементами ethereal и просто – безумно красивейшая воздушная акустическая светлая музыка, несущая лёгкую печаль над миром. Фортепиано, акустика и приятный мелодичный вокал Антона, поющего на красивом финском языке. Успокаивающая несущая на лёгких прозрачных крылышках небытия музыка, завораживающая и убаюкивающая. Очень красиво, просто безумно, приятно и сладко… Да ещё и прекрасное акварельное оформление заслуживает высшей оценки!
Author: Demether
Review
The Streets
9/10
10.03.2010
Det er ikke alltid at de virkelig gode skivene trigger skrivelysten eller kreativiteten. Og slik er det med russisk/finske Kauan sitt siste verk. Albumet har snurret i spilleren siden desember i fjor og det er rett og slett uvilje i kroppen til å være annet enn en lytter og musikkelsker. Jeg kan jo fort bare nevne at alt som ikke fungerte på debuten er forsvunnet som dugg for solen og resultatet har blitt noe i nærheten av magisk. Mer famøs adjektivbruk enn det har jeg faktisk ikke lyst til å vanne ut opplevelsen av “Aava tuulen maa” med. Det synges på finsk og musikken er av en slik art at du skulle ønske den varte evig.
Review
http://maeror3.livejournal.com/
11.03.2010
Акварельные рисунки, представленные в буклете «Aava Tuulen Maa», служат идеальными иллюстрациями для творчества дуэта «Kauan», который этим альбомом, как мне кажется, завершил предыдущий период своего существования и начал новый. Действительно, как и эти рисунки, музыка, собранная здесь, чиста, прозрачна, меланхолична, задумчива и тепла. Короче – красива. Красива, как может быть красива нетронутая природа, линия горизонта, зеленый лес, полный громкого пения птиц и даже капли теплого летнего дождя, в которых преломляется солнечный свет. Да, прослушивание «Aava Tuulen Maa» пробивает на лирику, но что уж тут поделать, что есть, то есть.
Помнится, словом «Kauan» назывался первый альбом гениальных финнов «Tenhi» – сравнения наших соотечественников с этим коллективом не избежал ни один рецензент, негоже и сейчас нарушать эту традицию. Замечу только, что до этого в музыке Антона Белова и Любови Мушниковой (впрочем, в первые годы существования состав был немного другой) просматривалась философская и лирическая концепции, позаимствованные у финского коллектива, музыка же была все-таки немного другой. Теперь же найти отличия очень трудно – даже русская лирика, имевшая место быть на предыдущих альбомах, исчезла, уступив место финскому языку, которым Белов владеет весьма хорошо. Размеренный, неторопливый ритм, не особенно изменчивый на протяжении всего диска, лихо закрученные неторопливые партии электрогитар, иногда приобретающие оттенки пост-рока, периодически рычащие «металлическими» риффами для придания чувства тревоги и эмоционального напряжения, а иногда и отсылающие к шугейзенгу и дримпопу, органично существуют на одной территории с виртуозными партиями пианино, проникновенными мелодиями скрипки, акустической гитарой, отвечающей за тот самый «фолк», и синтезаторами, регулярно выдающими что-то на грани прогрессив и спейс-рока семидесятых. Органично соединяет все это вместе и не дает распасться на кусочки композиторский талант и чувство меры авторов. Они всматриваются в даль (собственно, «Kauan» примерно так с финского и переводится), мечтают и восхищаются окружающим их миром, полным ярких красок, и эти же краски смело добавляют в свои звуковые пейзажи. В конце концов, это их дело, почему они, русские люди, предпочли выражать свои мысли и эмоции на «чужом» языке, главное – результат, а он великолепен.
Author: maeror3
Review
Hassgesang Zine
5/5
Kauan, to je meno ruského melancholického dua z ruských plání, ktoré som obchádzal veľmi dlhú dobu… Môj prvý kontakt s touto kapelou bol práve vďaka albumu „Aava tuulen maa“ a musím povedať, že som urobil naozaj chybu, keď som svoju im svoju pozornosť nevenoval už skôr. Pravdu povediac, ani neviem, čo ma od tejto kapely odrádzalo! Album otvára intro, akési ďobanie ďatľa do stromu – naozaj vkusné vtiahnutie do deja. Nasledujúca skladba „Valveuni“ svojimi akustickými pasážami a akými si samplami tvorenými za pomoci klávesových nástrojov vašu myseľ dokonale pohltí do inej ríše, sveta snov a pokoja. Naozaj mi veľmi imponuje, ako dokáže Anton (mimochodom veľmi šikovný multiinštrumentalista) za pomoci husľových nástrojov, o ktoré sa stará Lyuba vytvoril niečo tak nádherné. Nasledujúca skladba „Fohn“ obsahuje snáď všetky bývalé i terajšie hudobné superlatíva tohto dua. Hutný metalový základ, opäť snivú atmosféru a dokonalú gitarovú hru. Neskutočne sa mi páči ten jednoduchý klavírny motív doplnení bicími (mimochodom jeden z najslabších článkov celého albumu, i preto že sú tvorené na klávesoch!), ktorý prichádza zo záverom skladby! Pre mňa osobne je táto skladba jednou z najlepších z albumu. Predposledná, i najdlhšie trvajúca skladba „Sokea Sisar“ má niečo cez 12 minút a vďaka perfektne vkomponovanej práci Lyubi do hudobného výrazu, spojenými s jednoduchým, ale zato dobrým podkladom kláves dochádza k gradácií. I napriek tomu by však celá skladba príde ako najviac melancholická, čo počuť najmä v druhej polovici. Album uzatvára „Neulana Hetkessä“, ktorá dopĺňa predošlú melancholickú skladbu. Naozaj, keď to počúvam, mám pocit, akoby všetky skladby spolu dokonale ladili, vytvárali spoločný celok – ktorý mimochodom dopĺňajú i maľby v booklete, ktoré súvisia so skladbami. „Aava tuulen maa“ je skutočne vynikajúcim, už 3. albumom, ktorý nie je snáď ani len možné nejako špecifikovať. Melancholická hudba, doom metal, post-rock…? Výber nechám na Vás!
Author: Xalpian
Review
Tortured Soul Asylum Webzine
Review: This is a band and album that I usually don’t get a chance to review and that is because most metal record labels really do not sign or carry bands like this. This band consists of two members, one that does the vocals as well as a majority of the music and the other member plays the violin to create a very melodic and atmospheric album that I can only describe as beautiful. To me most music that I find like this band can be boring and uninspiring but when it comes to this band I found myself enjoying the music from the start to end. I really enjoyed that when there was some singing on the album that is was in the bands native language because most bands purposely speak english for whatever reason. This album goes through a wide range of sounds and emotions that keeps you into the music and won’t bore you to death. One thing I must point out is that the album cover is a water colour painting that really goes well with the overall feel of the album. Overall this is a truly enjoyable album that is beautifully composed and should satisfy any fan of music.
Author: Daniel Damnation
Review
Archaic Magazine
24.01.2010
With their third release Kauan have quickly deviated from their origins as a Folk Doom/Black band in a similar vein as Empyrium and Agalloch, into a dreamy post rock band similar to Sigur Ros without the eccentricity. While most might see the departure from metal disappointing, “Aava Tuulen Maa” is still a beautiful experience capturing the spirit of nature in a way complementary to their blackened more aggressive debut opus Lumikuuro. Right from the starting track “Ommeltu Polku” to album closer “Neulana Hetkessa” “Aava Tuulen Maa” engulfs you in the atmosphere and emanates moods of melancholy and longing similar to fellow Eastern European band Drudkh. Kauan doesn’t fall for the same traps many post rock bands find themselves in. Instead of basing all of their compositions on building crescendos that can be recognized minutes ahead the songs have own unique segments and riffs that captivate the listener and complement each other creating a greater whole. These do eventually build into climaxes and crescendos but they are part of the journey and not the destination. The prime example of this would be the stunningly beautiful album highlight “Fohn”. If you’re looking for something aggressive and “metal” this isn’t for you. But if you enjoy Empyrium, Tenhi or Kauan’s previous work then it get’s the highest recommendation.
Author: Jake McCloskey
Review
Shapeless Zine
8.5/10
April 2010
E’ passato circa un anno dalla mia recensione di “Tietäjän Laulu”, secondo album dei russi Kauan, e la frase che concludeva il testo era questa: ‘Sempre ad un passo dal comporre l’album della loro vita, che perт tarda ad arrivare’. Bene, sono proprio contento di poter affermare che, a mio parere, quell’album и arrivato con il nuovo “Aava Tuulen Maa”.
Facciamo perт un passo indietro: innanzitutto vi ricordo che qui su Shapeless trovate la recensione di “Tietäjän Laulu” e anche del precedente “Lumikuuro”, quindi potete facilmente ripercorrere la storia dei Kauan. Per sintetizzare comunque si tratta di un duo russo composto da Anton Belov (voce, chitarra, tastiere, programmazione) e da Lubov Mushnikova (violino); il loro stile, fino ad ora, consisteva in una sorta di ibrido tra il folk acustico e un doom metal triste e sconsolato, in una sorta di incrocio tra Tenhi e Agalloch: in “Luumikuro” queste due anime restavano ben distinte, come se l’album fosse esattamente diviso a metа, mentre con “Tietäjän Laulu” questa fusione era piщ omogenea.
Adesso invece le cose sono cambiate e personalmente ritengo che ci sia stato un netto passo avanti: fin da quando ho conosciuto la musica dei Kauan, infatti, mi sono sempre espresso a favore del lato acustico della loro proposta, cosм comunicativo, delicato e struggente; al contrario mi pareva che la componente metal fosse troppo comune, senza grandi guizzi e, a conti fatti, una sorta di peso che impediva alla musica di decollare. Bene, questa volta i Kauan non hanno fatto questo errore e si sono limitati a tagliare quel cordone ombelicale che li teneva ancorati alla scena metal e si sono dati completamente al folk, lasciando viva solo qualche influenza che si avvicina piщ al post rock che al doom. Il risultato и splendido.
“Aava Tuulen Maa” si presenta giа benissimo grazie all’ottima copertina, un paesaggio acquarellato dai toni azzurri su cui capeggia il logo elegante della band; l’album и formato da cinque composizioni, di cui ben quattro superano i dieci minuti di durata, ma non vi preoccupate, perchи la noia non sfiora mai l’opera dei Kauan, che al contrario riescono ad avvolgere l’ascoltatore e a trasportarlo in mondi dove la Natura domina incontrastata e dove regna quella struggente malinconia che sa cullare i cuori piщ tristi. Come dicevo la componente elettrica и quasi totalmente scomparsa e a guidare ogni composizione troviamo le chitarre acustiche, il pianoforte e il violino, in un continuo gioco di chiaroscuri che ammalia fin dal primo ascolto. Anche il cantato diventa quasi accessorio, con interventi sporadici che si inseriscono nella trama musicale quasi come uno strumento che si aggiunge al flusso delle emozioni e non come una voce guida che narra un testo supportata dalla cornice strumentale.
Presentare nel dettaglio le cinque tracce del CD и difficile, proprio perchи nel lungo evolversi delle canzoni troviamo una miriade di dettagli e di particolari, ma posso provarci. Si parte con “Ommeltu Polku” e benchи si tratti del brano piщ corto si rimane subito a bocca aperta: un delicato arpeggio di chitarra si fa strada tra lo scrosciare della pioggia e il tuonare lontano di un temporale, ma ben presto la musica si apre, la batteria inizia a dettare un tempo lento che pulsa direttamente a ritmo del cuore e su di essa appoggia la suadente melodia delle tastiere che iniziano a doppiare l’arpeggio della chitarra, in una ciclo ipnotico e triste.
Se l’inizio era buono, con “Valveuni” si arriva al vero capolavoro dell’album: un ritmo leggermente piщ sostenuto e dinamico fa da contraltare alla leggiadria delle tastiere che si allungano e si ritirano come le onde sulla spiaggia. Il pianoforte compare a dettare la melodia e si ritaglia un bell’intermezzo, prima di lasciare spazio alla voce che si intreccia con il violino e ancora con le chitarre acustiche.
Si prosegue cosм senza mai un calo, senza noia, solo con la voglia di essere presi e trasportati in un abbraccio dalla musica: “Föhn”, “Sokea Sisar” e infine “Neulana Hetkessä” non perdono lo slancio delle prime due composizioni e continuano senza sosta ad alternare poesia ed eleganza con intrecci strumentali di grande efficacia, lavorando di cesello sulla forza comunicativa dei singoli strumenti, che sia il lamento triste di un violino, piuttosto che l’arioso espandersi delle tastiere, fino al caldo arpeggiare delle chitarre. In qualche raro passaggio, soprattutto nell’ultimo brano, fa capolino la chitarra elettrica, ma serve solo a sottolineare dei momenti piщ forti, lasciando il ruolo principale agli altri strumenti.
Finalmente, quindi, posso premiare i Kauan con un voto alto, dando onore al percorso di crescita e di evoluzione che li ha portati verso nuove vette di qualitа. Un album da non perdere.
Author: Danny Boodman
Review
The Executioner ZIne
10/10
04.03.2010
En tan sólo tres años este duo ruso formado por Anton Belov (también en Strecosa y Helengard) y Lyubov Mushnikova ha editado ya tres álbumes, siendo el primero, “Lumikuuro”, un disco de referencia en el 2007 para mucha gente. Con este dan el salto y lo edita, aparte de su sello de toda la vida, Firebox Records de Finlandia.
Su anterior trabajo dejó una larga lista de excelentes críticas, pero un servidor le dió dos escuchas y no me convenció demasiado, aunque desde luego Kauan no parece el tipo de banda que entra a la primera y fue un fallo no insistir. Por eso no me conformé con el resultado obtenido tras ponerme “Aava Tuulen Maa” por primera vez, con lo cual me había quedado algo impasible y procuré volver a escucharlo en el estado de ánimo adecuado, y ahí la cosa empezó a cambiar. No podía ser de otra manera viendo su nacionalidad, las olas de melancolía desbordaron del equipo de música y envolvieron toda la habitación de una manera mágica, pausadamente, haciendote flotar en su neblinoso paisaje.
No podría encuadrarles dentro de un estilo fácilmente, y desde luego no entiendo las similitudes que puedo haber leído en distintas webs con el Doom o cualquier tipo de Metal extremo (de hecho únicamente aparece una parte de guitarra eléctrica en todo el disco, en el cuarto tema), aunque creo que han evolucionado muchísimo respecto a su primer trabajo. Kauan entrarían dentro del mismo margen musical en el que metería a bandas como Tenhi (su nombre lo toman de un disco de esta banda), Subaudition o Sigur Ros, incluso los trabajos acústicos de October Falls o Ulver.
Beben tanto del Post-Rock atmosférico como de influencias folklóricas de su país y lo traducen todo a un lenguaje muy personal; en sus cinco temas (cuatro de ellos superando los diez minutos) hay sitio para una variada progresión, atmósferas desbordantes de una mística electrizante, siempre enaltecidas por un teclado que va cumpliendo tanto la función de piano como introduciendo capas de sintetizador muy similares por momentos a las usadas por Amorphis en el gran “Tales From The Thousand Lakes”.
Probablemente el mejor disco de Post-Rock del 2009, una obra de arte. Recientemente lo han reeditado en vinilo.
Author: Jeroni Sancho
Review
Doom Mantia
5/10
02.12.2009
I first heard Kauan back a couple years back discovering them purely by accident. I like how they were one of the only bands to mix doom, black, folk metal with some ambiance and make it into a coherent package. The album i bought is called “Lumikuuro” and is one of the most diverse albums i have ever bought. The band sounded a little like Agalloch, early Empyrium and Tenhi but now move forward to 2009 and something weird has happen. This band is no longer doom, black, folk and certainly has nothing to do with metal, i would go as far to say this should be classified as “Alternative/Pop” with melancholic ambient overtones. Now most of you reading this have properly hit that little X in the top corner of your computer screens in disgust but hang on, its not all that bad. The band is pretty much a one man band, since it’s Anton Belov that does the writing, singing and almost all the playing. He only uses Lubov Musnikova on violin next to him, and that could be because i think they are married but don’t quote me on that. While the band have shifted directions, the Kauan trademarks are still present, like the dominating piano, the instrumental passages and the melancholy atmosphere. The melancholy drenched piano chords, added with airy synths do threaten to go off and get and really cheesy at times but thankfully they don’t get too schmaltzy. I did read something about Anton Belov, he lives in Chelyabinsk, a city with more than 1 million people. The expanses of the Urals is close to there and is where Anton Belov gets the inspiration for his music. That explains a lot a lot when you hear the music on this CD, released on Firebox/Badmoodman Music. Now back to the music, first of all the songs have i think Russian song-titles so i am not even going to attempt to memorize them or spell them. What the lyrics are about, i also have no idea and i am not about to spend a couple of hours on the Google Translate page trying to decipher their meaning. The music itself has some nice parts and might make for some nice mood music now and then, its also very well played and the production, album artwork is also great. One look at the artwork and you suspect this ain’t no doom album, the other thing is the record label is advertising them as “dark rock”. Not only is this wrong and mis-leading, it is also false advertising. The songs work in their length, but sometimes sound just thrown together, some parts (even the electric guitar) do not add to the overall atmosphere, rather it takes away any mood that was originally created. The album has a shortage of any tension and it only serves as a soundtrack for sleep or dreams. Kauan did have some potential but this is a major wrong turn and i am not just saying because it lacks any doom attributes. I have listened to my fair share of mellow music in my time, this is just too life-less for me. The only real highlight on this album for me is the end of third, more rock-orientated song, at that time we’re already halfway the album since the five songs take an average of ten minutes. Its at that point we hear a rocking guitar solo that we know from bands like Mogwai, Isis and Pelican. Unforgivably those moments are few are far between, i am hoping they will return to the sound of the first album. The sooner, the better.
Review
Darkside
8/10
17.06.2010
Акварельные рисунки, представленные в буклете «Aava Tuulen Maa», служат идеальными иллюстрациями для музыки дуэта Kauan, который этим альбомом, как мне кажется, завершил предыдущий период своего творчества и начал новый. Действительно, как и эти рисунки, музыка, собранная здесь, чиста, прозрачна, меланхолична, задумчива и тепла. Короче – красива. Красива, как может быть красива нетронутая природа, линия горизонта, зеленый лес, полный громкого пения птиц и даже капли теплого летнего дождя, в которых преломляется солнечный свет. Да, прослушивание «Aava Tuulen Maa» пробивает на лирику, но что уж тут поделать, что есть, то есть.
Помнится, словом «Kauan» назывался первый альбом гениальных финнов Tenhi – сравнения наших соотечественников с этим коллективом не избежал ни один рецензент, негоже и сейчас нарушать эту традицию. Замечу только, что до этого в музыке Антона Белова и Любови Мушниковой (впрочем, в первые годы существования состав был немного другой) просматривалась философская и лирическая концепции, позаимствованные у финского коллектива, музыка же была все-таки немного другой. Теперь же найти отличия очень трудно – даже русская лирика, имевшая место быть на предыдущих альбомах, исчезла, уступив место финскому языку, которым Белов владеет весьма хорошо. Размеренный, неторопливый ритм, не особенно изменчивый на протяжении всего диска, лихо закрученные неторопливые партии электрогитар, иногда приобретающие оттенки пост-рока, периодически рычащие «металлическими» риффами для придания чувства тревоги и эмоционального напряжения, а иногда и отсылающие к шугейзингу и дрим-попу, органично существуют на одной территории с виртуозными партиями пианино, проникновенными мелодиями скрипки, акустической гитарой, отвечающей за тот самый «фольк», и синтезаторами, регулярно выдающими что-то на грани прогрессив- и спейс-рока семидесятых. Органично соединяют все это вместе и не дают распасться на кусочки композиторский талант и чувство меры авторов. Они всматриваются в даль (собственно, «Kauan» примерно так с финского и переводится), мечтают и восхищаются окружающим их миром, полным ярких красок, и эти же краски смело добавляют в свои звуковые пейзажи. В конце концов, это их дело, почему они, русские люди, предпочли выражать свои мысли и эмоции на «чужом» языке, главное – результат, а он великолепен.
Author: Maeror3
Review
Deaf Sparrow
3/5
By now we should all know that yours truly isn’t all that into folk and gothic metal. The former instantly disqualifies Kauan from getting a good grade. The absence of the latter actually puts me in a good mood. This Russian duo plays light music. As I understand it, they used to play doom, but on their third release Aava Tuulen Maa all traces of rudeness have been erased. My father could listen to this. Hell, my grandmother could listen to this. What Kauan is playing could fit your local adult contemporary station. Soothing tunes like “Valveuni” could almost fit alongside some Enya type o’ shit. Yeah, it is pretty like the morning rise on the horizon or the aurola borealis and I like piano soundtrack work as much as any other film buff, but Kauan go soft. Way soft. And even though their ear-caressing appeal might reach those into post rock, it will be a stretch to get this into the hands of fans of the heavy. A tough sell.
Review
Inwë[B]zine (extreme-metal.com)
10.07.2010
Entrer dans cet album de Kauan, c’est comme se diluer dans une aquarelle. Dès la première mélodie entamée, le ciel se colore de couleurs pastel. Le noir est banni. Tout n’est que profusion de bleu océan, de violet lavande, de vert apaisant ou de jaune lumineux. Tel un tableau de quiétude, « Aava Tuulen Maa » dessine des paysages feutrés où l’on se plait à se fondre.
Semblable au peintre qui ajoute chaque jour des touches à sa toile, Kauan incorpore à ses morceaux toujours plus de nuance grâce à des instruments posés non seulement avec finesse mais aussi d’une manière juste et harmonieuse. On est loin des grands coups de pinceau et des traits grossiers : ici, la musique dépeint le monde avec douceur et harmonie. Chaque contour s’entend sans défaut, les mélodies s’esquissent avec précision et les teintes sont respectées. Aucune distorsion violente, aucun cri haineux, seul le violon et le piano viennent s’égarer dans ces champs de mélancolie. De temps en temps, comme une brise dans cette atmosphère paisible, des voix claires viennent chanter quelques mélodies gorgées d’émotions. Kauan lève la gravité, pose ses couleurs musicales et dessine un nouvel horizon à la surface des choses.
Écouter ce dernier album de Kauan, c’est comme sentir les pétales des fleurs estivales venir nous chatouiller le visage alors qu’une guitare acoustique grisée de soleil entonne ses plus beaux airs. C’est comme s’asseoir sur l’herbe sauvage et sèche, regarder les nuages passer et entendre les résonances de leur passage entre deux gouttes de piano. C’est comme se perdre dans le calme et laisser le flou des pastels nous guider dans cette aquarelle délicieuse…
Écouter Kauan, en fait, c’est respirer. Plutôt bien pour l’été, non ?!
Author: lotus
Review
Atmosfear Magazine
8/10
Бытует мнение, что третий альбом для каждой группы становится самым важным, после него можно говорить, есть ли будущее у группы либо же на ней можно ставить большой крест. В случае с KAUAN, я могу с уверенностью сказать, что будущее у этого коллектива есть, причём очень даже светлое. Начнём с того, новый альбом дуэта из Челябинска был выпущен не только в России, но и на западе, причем не где-нибудь, а на известном финском лейбле Firebox Records. Что автоматом означает, что музыка KAUAN теперь будет доступна куда более широкой аудитории. Нужно сказать, что KAUAN в этот раз немного удивили, если раньше на их музыку можно было повесить ярлык dark folk/black/doom metal, то теперь их стиль можно обозначить как ambient/post rock. “Aava Tuulen Maa” – это очень атмосферный альбом, под завязку наполненный эмоциями, способных погрузить в состояние покоя и умиротворения. Альбом для романтиков, если хотите. Этот диск надо слушать где-нибудь на природе, наслаждаясь бескрайними полями и лугами. Лирика как обычно на финском языке, несмотря на то, что группа родом из России. Также не могу не отметить шикарный двадцатистраничный буклет, который сделан на матовой бумаге и внутри которого можно увидеть настоящие акварельные рисунки которые идеально передают настроение и атмосферу композиций. Такие релизы не пропускают…
Author: Costas
Review
Metalvox
O Kauan que estou escutando, aliás, escutei umas dezenove vezes desde que o promo chegou aqui, neste terceiro álbum não é aquele que ouvira no debut – “Lumikuuro” (2007). Infelizmente não tive acesso ao segundo álbum, “Tietajan Laulu” de 2008, para comparar e notar a transição de uma banda que fazia Folk Doom Metal para uma “nova” banda que faz um Rock de vanguarda. Alguns classificam como Post Rock, o fato é que independente de conceito ou rótulo o que se ouve ao longo das cinco musicas do track list é uma banda – se bem que o Kauan tem somente duas pessoas na sua line up – criativa, ousada e pouco preocupada em impor limites à sua musicalidade.
Porém o que fica patente é que ainda há uma ligação com seu passado, já que a melancolia é um sentimento que aflora de sua musicalidade. Uma obra que nos conduz à introspecção de forma sutil e sem sobressaltos. Confesso a vocês que este álbum foi um dos melhores que chegou à nossa redação. Perfeito para doometallers e para quem procura ouvir algo diferente e com sentimento.
Author: Jaime Amorim
Review
Maelstorm #69
8/10
Someone in Russia really, really likes Tenhi. So much so, that they’ve not only set out to replicate Finnish band’s Tenhi’s calm, gentle folk meets rock style, but they’ve named their band after Tenhi’s most impactful album, Kauan, and even though they’re Russian, the lyrics are in Finnish.
It’s all good, though, because Aava Tuulen Maa is excellent. Lush, gorgeous acoustic tones mixed with the odd electric one, paired with tasteful, equally relaxing drums. Kauan’s music is introspective, delicate, somber, yet sweet… just like Tenhi’s.
If we’re going to have a side-by-side shootout, however, one ca nsay that Kauan’s vocals are much better than Tenhi’s, so if you’re going to start your foray into this rewarding territory, you should probably start with Aava Tuulen Maa, although the rating of this record ultimately reflects on how original Kauan’s music is.
Aava Tuulen Maa is kind of like the soundtrack to philosophizing about nature and love by a pristine lake. It’s one of the loveliest albums released in 2009.
Author: Roberto Martinelli
Review
The Shadows Commence
9.1/10
13.08.2010
KAUAN has crossed my path a couple of times. I remember them as a TENHI (had an album called “Kauan” way back…) and AGALLOCH influenced, under-produced black / folk metal act. Their first album sucked and the second one had some qualities, but fell flat in the end. After that, I forgot about them, but by accident I stumbled across this most recent album called “Aava Tuulen Maa”. I was immediately attracted by the great looks! An awesome picture of a landscape, a grey sky and a most remarkable logo. Functional, beautiful simplicity.
The core in KAUAN is Anton Belov. He sings, play the guitars, the keyboards and operates the programming. Backed up he is by Lubov on violin. Together they’ve this time given birth to 5 long tracks. The intro is a bit shorter than the rest, and is also the only totally instrumental track. The rest has vocals, in Finnish. Funny, since the band is from Russia, but Anton’s been singing in Finnish since the debut and it sounds very fair.
I was not prepared to meet such beauty before I put the CD in the stereo. It blew me away from the first notes, and kept me desirous to hear more and more as the music progressed. The metal in KAUAN’s music is more or less a pale memory. This album is 70% acoustic, very dreamy, airy and melancholic. Not in the depressing way, more like… The autumn, filled with nostalgia and something in between warmth and cold. There are forests of wonderful piano music, winds of aerial keyboards, waterdrops of acoustic guitars and some extremely soothing electric guitar solos and riffs (45 seconds into “Föhn” and you’ll know what I’m talking about). And, of course, Anton’s voice that flows out and form melodies not of this world.
You can say this resembles TENHI in more than one way, but mostly due to the atmosphere and the feeling of mystical nature around you as you listen. The sound is more easygoing with more prominent post-rock influences, and those keyboards would never fit in TENHI’s soundscapes.
The negative sides here are very few. Maybe some of the intros, before all the instruments are in place, may sound a tad cheesy, sometimes like ENIGMA, but when the tracks are in their full bloom, it’s just perfect. Yes, perfect. And I hope this is the album that defines KAUAN, because I want more, more, more of this. More I say!
Author: cmerik
Review
Forgotten Path
9/10
Kauan is one of the most interesting bands coming from Russia. You never know what you can get from a new release. Their first album was Doom/Black Metal, second – something between Folk and Metal, and here we have Post Rock/Neo-Folk. I know, this is a Metal magazine and albums like this must be criticized a lot, but in my opinion for Kauan changes this into a good new option. Do you ask why? Because all the bands like this are more into mood and feeling than Metal, and when this project began playing Post Rock, they raised their music to another level. Everything became more professional, more sentimental, more spiritual and stronger.
It is strange to hear a band, which is from Russia, but singing in Finnish. On the other hand, when you analyze the band’s ideas and destination, you could easily understand why they chose singing in Finnish. Yes, this speech is much more velvet and sounds more natural, than that violate and harsh Russian articulation. Moreover, it is better when you’re singing Post Rock, this music is really stilly and destroying word in Russian language refutes all space.
“Aava Tuulen Maa” is dedicated to atmosphere. I see that I repeat and repeat this boring proposition, but I’m sure, if we talk about this release, mood is the strongest part. Firstly, when other works were technical and had a bit of dark feeling, this is pure light and clear. We can hear something from sunny forest – birds and trees swooshing. Every second here strongly reminds me of nature. Piano voice, monotonous drums and guitars – everything working for feelings (you know like all Post Rock), emotions and for the images created in the listener’s mind.
But, you should know that Kauan is not a pioneering band and most of their music details can be heard in bands like Agalloch, Uaral, Empyrium or God is an Astronaut, respectively. Although completely similar music like this you have never heard before. It is an album, which has taken many details from other bands and with this has created their own style. It is weird, but this music in some moments sounds like classical music for me – I hear something like Beethoven or Chopin, but it is only a blink and every music sound is much more difficult. So besides being professional this album is unique too.
Not only the good side is on this album – there is no perfect, everything has a bad side. When this band third time changes its style, their music becomes simpler. I think that I get something full of Folk insertions, but here is only that primitive, natural sound. I really love the song from the second album, when they use traditional instruments – it sounds like shamanic music. And now we have only the airy and a little bit unmemorable music, which is great, but there is no tradition and roots (it sounds like most of these today Neo-Folk bands), which cultivate nature, but have no traditional sound. However, this music is spiritual and that is more than just something from Folklore repetition without private things.
To sum up, I really like this album and this work is one of those, which grows with every listen, in every moment you can find something unheard before, something which raises you to another space. Yes, this is surely not Metal, this is almost not Rock, too, but I like it for what it is. Purely strong and worthy album for open-minded people, but it probably will be shit for those who like Black Metal and nothing else.
Author: Bloodie
Review
The Pit of the Damned
8/10
03.10.2010
“Contro il logorio della vita moderna!” Questa era la frase di un’indimenticata pubblicità di un amaro, a base di carciofo, ai tempi di “Carosello”. È anche quello che ho pensato dopo il primo ascolto. I Kauan (parola finlandese che dovrebbe significare “per molto tempo”) abbandonano il loro stile precedente e danno alla luce un disco completamente folk. Se questi due russi vogliono cambiare genere ogni volta, e in questa maniera, facciano pure. Anton Belov (chitarre, voce, tastiere) e Lubov Mushinkova (violino) forgiano un’atmosfera autunnale/surreale che si mantiene inalterata per tutto il cd. Quest’atmosfera, quest’anima calma, sognante, calda, con un che di bucolico e con una venatura malinconica, è il punto di forza di questo lavoro. Le emozioni che ne nascono infatti sono le vere protagoniste. Non aspettatevi di cadere nelle braccia di Morfeo per il ritmo lento che caratterizza l’intera release: il duo è in gamba e riesce a tenere svegli, basta provare a seguirli. Sia ben chiaro che non troverete nulla di rock (tanto meno di estremo), anche se, a voler guardare bene, l’unico lascito dalla “vita” precedente, si ritrova nella voce roca in alcuni punti. I suoni elettronici sono molto ben amalgamati alle chitarre, al violino e alle brevi parti cantate. Non aspettatevi grandi differenze di suoni o di composizione tra le tracce (forse “Föhn” è l’unica che si stacca per le parti in crescendo) tutte molto lunghe; non troverete neppure riffs aggressivi, tecnicismi o assoli. Ma va bene così. Sarebbero un peso per le canzoni, che già sono al limite dell’ipertrofia. Fronzoli che costringerebbero i pensieri e ruberebbero la scena alle emozioni. Da apprezzare anche il booklet e il package. Un disco non per tutti, ma state al loro gioco e vedrete che ne varrà la pena. Perdersi un po’ in un angolo sognante, nella frenesia quotidiana e farlo con classe, è una cosa che fa bene allo spirito.
Author: Alberto Merlotti
Review
Vibrations of Doom
99/100
I ALWAYS enjoy a good Kauan record. This particular release marks the first time black metal style vocals are completely disregarded (see the interview for more details), but also this has to be the most melodic release so far. Heavy parts are limited to a few choppy guitar riffs (found mainly on the final track ‘Neulana Hetkessa,’ ‘Sokea Sisar’ and ‘Fohn.’) and that’s pretty much it. The combination of acoustic guitars, ambient synth passages and violins makes for a very relaxing and epic set of tracks. Opener ‘Ommeltu Polku’ clocks in at just under 5 minutes, making it the shortest track here and peculiarly, the only song completely devoid of vocals. You’ll hear rain and wind sounds throughout the disc, cementing in your mind the rather beautiful but melancholic feeling of a rain/wind storm. The opening instrumentation definitely reminded me of the works of Agalloch or even Tenhi, though the atmosphere evoked is quite stunning. The vocals are almost nonexistent on this entire album; they pop up in about two or three places on nearly every track, and are gone as quick as they start. You’ll be hard pressed to notice at first, though, since many tracks are at least 10 minutes long (one is 12 minutes). The songs, with one exception (the tune ‘Fohn’), mainly jump around A LOT, varying not just in structure but in the actual construction of layers utilizing violins, piano notes, clean sung vocals, and almost tribal percussion. Many times this jumping around makes it hard to lock into a certain feeling or emotion, but Kauan are indeed MASTERS of instrumentation layering, where other bands would fail miserably with this concept. The long song lengths of many tracks makes this even MORE astonishing, holding your interest for the entire length of the track, and you’ll be hearing things you missed the first few listens. My only problem with this CD is the ending cut ‘Neulana Hetkessa,’ where the violins created a rather eerie and haunting set of notes that didn’t really seem to sit well with the mood of the disc. (You’ll recall a similar problem with the tribal digeridoo like instrumentation on their last release “Tietajan Laulu.”) Thankfully this only occurs near the end of the last track. Incidentally, one of the most beautiful passages on the disc occurs around the 7:15 mark of ‘Sokea Sisar,’ where the high end synth notes completely change the structure of the song and carry the piano and violin notes to it’s end. Similarly, our last song on the disc contains some beautiful piano notes, coupled with acoustics and violins, making for a very epic feeling (probably the most powerful on the disc). Kauan has been amazingly consistent for three releases now, and though the blackened vocal work is completely gone, this is an amazing work of art, and I can’t wait for disc number 4! In the meantime, along with the pick hit of this issue (while I’m eagerly awaiting disc 4), go read the lengthy feature interview with this creative and highly talented band.
Review
Metal Daze
4.5/5
21.02.2011
El frío de Rusia, la solemnidad de la música de KAUAN y el sentimiento que de estas emergen no podría ser de otra manera que solemne y climático.
El dúo que conforman Anton Belov (músico también de Strecosa y Helengard) y Lyubov Mushnikova nos presenta una propuesta desarrollada desde la calma de instrumentaciones plenas de cadencia sonora y un llamativo y festejable buen gusto por los climas atmosféricos.
Ellos lograron en poco tiempo grabar tres álbumes: “Lumikuuro”, fue el primero, lanzado en 2007 por Firebox Records, “Tietäjän Laulu” al año siguiente y el que nos ocupa en esta oportunidad (“Aava Tuulen Maa”) en 2009.
“Aava Tuulen Maa” contiene solo 5 canciones, aunque estas son extensas (tres superan los diez minutos de duración) y se exteriorizan basadas en constantes cambios de ritmo e intervalos semi acústicos muy logrados.
Difíciles de encasillar, estos dos músicos interpretan la música de manera tal que cualquier titulo que pongamos a su estilo termina por ser una parcial interpretación del efecto de la misma.
Pero aquí hay Doom, Rock, algo de Folk…pero sobre todo, mucha emoción rondando los ambientes, haciéndolos emotivos, sobrios, melancólicos, etc.
“Valveuni” y “Föhn” son brillantes, pues poseen melodías y climas (esta ultima palabra es obligación nombrarla en este álbum) que conmueven y para nada cansan al escucha o redundan en si mismos.
Para quienes gusten de probar otras sonoridades (menos extremas en este caso) KAUAN es una opción realmente valiosa que los contentará absolutamente.
Author: Gustavo Piccini
Review
Pitchline Zine
7/10
25.08.2011
En algún lugar de Rusia, donde terminan los montes Urales y empieza la llanura siberiana, se halla la ciudad de Chelíabinsk, donde hace ya varios años, el instrumentista y compositor Anton Belov empezó sus andadas dentro del metal extremo de la mano de un proyecto de nombre Helengard, donde destilaba una mezcla entre el Black y el Doom metal atmosférico y elementos folklóricos de aquélla parte del mundo , sin embargo, un año más tarde parece como si Belov decidiese ir un paso más allá, queriendo rendir una especie de tributo a todo aquel paisajismo que lo rodeaba, y es por eso que tan solo un año más tarde, Kauan, cuyo significado en finés viene a ser algo así como “por mucho tiempo”, empezó a tomar forma. Tras la publicación en 2007 de la mano de Firebox, del aclamado debut “Lummikuro”, que cosecho una larga lista de buenas críticas, Kauan ha ido avanzando lentamente con el paso de los años hacia una significativa transición en su sonido, dejando atrás su Doom Metal oscuro de corte atmosférico quizá más cercano a los comienzos de Helengard, hasta desembocar por completo en un sonido donde reina el ambiente atmosférico y acústico, entrelazando incluso con elementos post-rockeros, más característicos de bandas como los finlandeses Sigur Ros e incluso me vienen a la cabeza ciertas similitudes con algún trabajo acústico que le haya oído a October Falls. “Aava Kuulen Maa”, disco que ocupa hoy este breve texto, es ya la tercera entrega que pone en el mercado una formación completada por la violinista Lubov Mushnikova.
Nuevamente las etiquetas vuelven a quedar en desuso ante una obra que si bien ha sido clasificada en el umbral del Doom Metal, imagino que por el irrelevante hecho de esa armonía tan melancólica que destila cada uno de los cinco cortes que lo componen, sin embargo insisto en que todo ello es relativo ya que (al menos a mi) resulta difícil encontrar aquí algún guiño que incite a la depresión sino que creo lo que nos intenta transmitir es como una especie de viaje a través de atmósferas pausadas, delicadas e momentáneamente frágiles, todo ello realzado por un teclado que consigue desdoblarse correctamente a la hora de actuar de un frágil fondo de piano, como a la hora de meter partes de sintetizador bastante similares e igual de acertadas.
El concepto de “Aava Tuulen Maa” viene a ser instrumental en gran medida, sus cinco temas se mueven entre los cuatro y los diez minutos, desenvolviendo unas composiciones lentas y ambientadas en la naturaleza, sin saber donde termina un tema y empieza otro, dejando entrever matices como una tormenta o el posterior sonido de la lluvia incitando a cerrar los ojos e imaginarse en una especie de bosque cubierto por una densa niebla. Ocasionalmente ello se ve perturbado por entradas más bien puntuales de la voz de Belov, como un fragmento de una canción folk, pausada y sin desentonar del conjunto, donde lo único que llama la atención es que el idioma elegido aquí es el finés. Distintas serán las opiniones al respecto, sin embargo cero que es un idioma bastante más conocido y acorde, ya sea por la poca utilización de la lengua materna del ruso. También encontraremos algún matiz rockero también puntual en forma de guitarra por ejemplo en el segundo corte “Valveuni” mientras que la presencia del violín en este “Aava Tuulen Maa” es otro elemento a tener en cuenta, apareciendo cuando tiene que aparecer e ayudando a matizar la vena más melancólica y emotiva de este álbum. Un disco para tomarse con calma y de varias escuchas para poder apreciar sus diversos matices, a un servidor le resulta complicado hacer un análisis más técnico de un disco de semejantes características.
Author: The Moor