Niko Karlsson, Topias Tiheäsalo

After a long hibernation, Anoema Recordings is back with a fantastic split LP of fresh Finnish music. This time we bring joy to the world via six beautiful acoustic six string exercises by two Turku-based masters of guitar: Niko Karlsson and Topias Tiheäsalo. Niko plays both guitar and banjo and has a background in pop, folk and various types of experimental music. He is probably best known for his 2017 solo album Valosta valoon on American Feeding Tube Records. Topias has studied classical guitar and enjoys playing jazz as much as baroque and solo guitar improvisations. Lately he has been seen playing solo jazz ballads by people like Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and Kenny Burrell. Both gentlemen are part of the Himera collective who arrange experimental and free music concerts in Turku. On this record, they summon ghosts of American primitive masters and channel them to the modern era via detours through Eastern Europe, ecstatic free jazz and abstract self-restraint. What we have here is call and response of the highest order. Just sit back, close your eyes and get someone to flip the vinyl for you.