RE

The Finnish trio return to continue their search for ‘new ways to perform early music.’ Aino Peltomaa (voice, harp, percussion), Ilkka Heinonen (jouhikko, viola, vocals), and Juho Myllylä (blockflutes, vocals) are highly regarded players in the medieval/renaissance scene, but a quick glance at the credits for RE will be enough to tell you that they look forward as much as back; all three additionally contribute ‘electronics.’ The music varies from slowly-unwinding, dreamlike compositions to remarkably visceral tracks such as the astonishing ‘Veri’, where arrestingly declaimed vocals cut through swirling clouds of melody and percussion.

From rough-spun elemental numbers to exquisitely beautiful voice-and-harp, the range and depth here is compelling. The early literary sources that hark back to an ancient time may be obscure, yet the sense of enduring human truths and emotions is clear. RE refers to a note of the medieval music scale, but in this talented trio's hands, it also stands for renewing and returning – two things that Ensemble Gamut! do exceedingly well. This is an assured sophomore album from a talented trio.