Have we had an experimental instrumental rock group before? I can’t think of one.
That’s what Tinyhawk & Bizzarro amount to. What’s more they are a collaboration, between Jenni Kinnunen (Tinyhawk), who is the writer, and who is also the guitarist for the Finnish band Rosita Luu , and Bizzarro, which comprises Markus Väisänen (guitar), Teemu Aho (bass), Jaakko Pöyhönen (drums) and Juuso Kolho (synthesiser, percussion).
Collectively, they recently signed to Humu Records under that moniker. Their debut album will be released in the spring of 2023 and the first single, ‘Yorokobi’, was released to download and streaming services on December 16th. Bizzarro on their own have released a debut album, ‘Luxardo’ (2019) and a joint album with Jukka Nissinen. The forthcoming album was mixed and mastered by Tuukka Tervo, who also plays rhythm guitar on the single.
Hope you’re keeping up with this. There will be a test at the end.
Only joking, but enough of the history. What about the song?
I’m not sure what to make of it. There’s so much experimentation going on that it switches between a Japanese sound, a Caribbean feel and what could be something from The Tornados or The Shadows in the 1960s and that’s just in the opening bars. As it settles down the 60’s theme is cemented and in fact there’s a bass/drum riff about halfway through from that era that I just can’t place but you’ll just know it when you hear it.
As it progresses further it becomes a complex piece, supported by a synthesiser at the end which perhaps wasn’t necessary and I’d love to see them playing this live.
‘Yorokobi’ translates as ‘joy’ in Japanese and that’s pretty much what it amounts to, unadulterated delight. A very pleasant tail end of the year surprise.
Humu Records will release the album on vinyl and digital in the spring of 2023.
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