You might have thought that TENHI had quietly disbanded over the years. But no, they haven't. Fortunately! TENHI have just taken more time. Much more time. Twelve years have passed since their last and wonderful album Saivo. And yet, subjectively speaking, not that much has changed. Not even the length of the albums ;)

According to the info letter, the Finns' sixth album was once conceived differently and was then overtaken by reality. Well, that's something that can happen with an album that's been around 10 years in the making. In any case, TENHI felt compelled to rethink the concept of the album. What Valkama was originally supposed to sound like remains a mystery. Perhaps, one day, there will be "first recordings" of this album as a bonus in a box or special edition.

What Valkama 2023 sounds like unfolds on a 70-minute journey from the realm of the dead (Saivo) to the harbor of refuge (Valkama). Whereby the first notes of the opener Saattue sound so incredibly familiar, as if TENHI had never been away. As if you had never been on a journey because you have long since arrived and are now sitting on the pier looking longingly into the distance. Of course, Valkama still reflects the deep melancholy of the Finns, a melancholy that is wonderful to fall into and even lose yourself in. Nevertheless, Valkama has a less gloomy atmosphere, is livelier, warmer and even spreads a few positive vibes.
Saattue, the title track and Hele are almost orchestral-like with opulent string arrangements and thus develop a rather soundtrack-like character. There are purist folk songs with Kesävihanta' and Rannankukka, whereby the latter one is discreetly dissonant and almost feels like a foreign body.
Rintamaan, on the other hand, is very percussive, accompanied by flutes and thus has something shamanistic about it, something wide and open, as if you were wandering through vast steppes.
The majority of the songs feature a wide range of string instruments, rather powerful piano passages and percussions, acoustic guitars of course, as well as flutes and bell instruments, right up to a full drum sound. Here and there, some instruments are brought to the fore and take over the lead part, but the instrumentation is still minimalist as usual and repeatedly underlaid with ambient-like sound collages, while choirs occasionally add accents. All in all, a familiar approach to the structure and instrumentation of the album, as we know from TENHI on their previous releases. This doesn't change the fact that some of the melodies on Valkama really get stuck in your ears and make you catch yourself humming them afterwards.
There is a female guest vocalist on this record, at first almost missed in the background of Kesävihanta', but all the more striking in the final track Aina sininen aina. But it's the mesmerizing, sonorous and calming voice of Tyko Saarikko that stands in the foreground and interprets the Finnish lyrics almost as a spoken song. I'm just wondering what would a book reading with him would sound like?

Valkama lets you pause from the daily hustle and bustle, gives you inner peace if you let yourself in for it. You have to take your time with this album, as with every TENHI album. And because you lose yourself in the melodies so quickly, you have to listen to the album a few more times. That might be a little bit challenging but it's worth the effort. Valkama is like an inward escape, an island of peace and relaxation, a very special kind of meditation. Just awesome!