VOIMASUO
(VIGOR SWAMP)
Linear notes
Swamps can be mystical, esoteric and gloomy places in the heart of the forests. They can include even mummified corpses and all other kind of stories in them. When composing music to the album the mental image of swamps worked askind of inspirational vigor to me. I visited on various swamps in my dreams more often than I’ve visited in real swamps.
As each of Jääportit albums deals more or less with the idea of taking a journey into another world beyond Jääportit, the Gates of Ice, this time it was about visiting a fictional place called as “Vigor Swamp”. All of the songs deal with this idea in way or the other.
Recordings of the album took place at Kajekammio (“Echo Chamber” in English), a kind of home studio inside acoustically shoddy concrete walls of apartment located in Tampere, Finland, during the time from 2006 to the end of year 2008. Album was finally mixed and mastered using the current knowledge of aural world during the spring 2009.
Overall influences:
- life, death, reality, dreams,
- light, dark, sun, moon,
- molten, frost, constant, transform,
- urban, nature, stars, space,
- time, melancholy, elements, spirits,
- tarot, visual art, films music & sound
01. TUULTEN TUOJA (BEARER OF WINDS)
Opener, an arriving to the Gates of Ice found on the borders of the Vigor Swamp. Stormy night, sky is dark and strong wind blows.
Meeting with the Bearer of Winds – the bringer of directions, choices and changes. Melodies come together in the distance.
Inspirational themes:
- Thulema
(Thule or Thyle, from the Old Norse Þulr “wise-man, sage” was a specific courtly position associated with Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon royalty and chieftains in the Middle Ages)
- Thelema
(a philosophy of life based on the rule or law, “Do what thou wilt”)
02. ARVOITUSTEN LUONA (CLOSE TO MYSTERY)
At first this one was thought as the second part of the first song Tuulten tuoja but somehow it transformed into its own dimension, another horizon, taking deeper in the riddles of life beyond the Gates.
A kind of a soft brake to take a deep breath before the journey continues.
Knowledge leads the wisest ones.
03. SUON SULAESSA (THAWING SWAMP)
It’s getting warmer.
Process of change continues.
Snow melts to water.
Another surface of the Gates transpires.
An unholy ancient rite takes place on a big stone at the shores of Holy Lake. Water flows with the time and the time clicks and goes by.
Wanted to write answer to a person who asked: “What happens to Jääportit when it is spring and snow melts away, air gets warmer and so on..”
It changes shape.
Even it was made of ice, it was not build to melt away, no matter what.
04. HENGENVAARA (MORTAL DANGER)
Another episode in the mist and darkness close by the mysterious and dreamy swamp. About taking the last breath, and then forgotten. For some reason it called for a human voice, so it had to be added with lyrics dealing with swamps and dark shadows.
05. SUDENKUOPPA (WOLF PIT)
And any change might turn out to be right or wrong. Will you fall into pit or manage to dodge it. It’s about the process lead by consequences and consciousness.
One of the heaviest trips on the album deals with the fact how the music maker makes music for himself, but can’t always forget that there might be also a listener. Then one might think about how they will take it and it might affect to the decisions one is creating. Will this type of action lead into the pit or is there another way to go round.
06. MUUNTUVA SUOJA (TRANSFORMING AEGIS)
The song of dark rhythms. Fissure in the nature.
Groun crystal, dispatch, coatch.
Of knights and wizards, those who lurks in the dark.
Direction to space hidden from others.
Aegis, a space that changes its shape always for the current needs.
I have a need to create my own music. It’s like a place where no one can come to me and say, that should be done differently. It is my aegis, my space, my sound environment and I’m the ruler of this universe. Therefore I am.
07. KATOAMINEN TORNISSA (DISAPPEARANCE IN TOWER)
The last remains of the old, developing towards new.
In the end, you shall disappear in the distance.
On “Avarrus” album also was a last song dealing with disappearing (of the three moons). This time it is about the same theme, but in other scene. Disappearing completely as a person from society seems like a death but holds change of coming back. Maybe it’s only a privilege of the silent ones, shadows in the darkness of the mystical towers. And Tampere is full of red, long towers. Promo pictures for this album were taken inside the ruins of one of these towers.
Foresee something new in the highlighted ending.
FINAL WORDS
Jääportit – “Voimasuo” album text was compiled and written by Tuomas at the end of 2009, as a reply to a request from a fan, John Paul.
I have to admit that, for me, it’s easier to write music than to write about my music. Thanks for reading anyways. Sorry for the possible spelling mistakes in the text. I might even write more about it some day later on, if I can. Go figure it out if you can.
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