Audiopile Review: Up until the turn of the millennium, Finnish electronic duo Pan Sonic built a small but perfectly formed discography. After that, the situation started to get a little fuzzy, as Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen indulged in all manner of collaborations and solo projects. It can all be a bit overwhelming, but we’re here to tell you that Väisänen’s 2001 solo outing on Mego, ‘Asuma’, is absolutely the best Pan Sonic-related thing evar. ‘Asuma’ is largely based on the Pan Sonic formula of stark drones over machine beats. But it trades in the duo’s analogue austerity for the type of ear-boggling digital psychedelia Mego was specializing in at the time. A lot of our favourite experimental electronic music manages to be challenging and addictive in equal measure. And ‘Asuma’ is right in that zone. Extremely minimal, utterly strange, and 100% compelling from start to finish. Wonderful to see this first-time-on-vinyl pressing courtesy of Editions Mego.

Editions Mego reissue the 2001 release Asuma by Finnish artist Ilpo Väisänen. Originally released on CD this is the first ever vinyl issue, remastered by Rashad Becker. 2001 is a landmark year for the artist following a wave of success from the notable outfit Väisänen formed alongside Mika Vanio, Pan Sonic (as they were now known then). Following a string of highly acclaimed and influential releases such as “Vakio”, “Kulma”, “A’ and “Aaltopiiri” Pan Sonic had toured the globe extensively leaving a trail of blown expectations and rumours of all manner of objects in venues cracking or falling apart due to the immense sound the duo concocted with their unique instruments.

Taking a break from the ecstatic cacophony of Pan Sonic, Väisänen retreated to work on a solo release which conjured the spirits of the former outfit whilst simultaneously carving out a more personal take on these new electronic forms.

Asuma is a precise study of drones, rhythms, clicks, ambience and gentle confusion. Whilst inhabiting a zone of abstraction the results also move in a natural field as Väisänen’s native Finland permeates these recordings as much as the idea of experimentation itself.

Autioitu 1 opens the album as delicate pinball rhythms bounce across the spectrum as a hairy drone hovers underneath. The mood is both intriguing and unsettling. Tukahduttaja is a delightfully disorientating sound sculpture that is hard to pinpoint what it actually is. Klikki is comparable to a microscopic version of Pink Floyd’s “Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict”. Asumaton is a foreboding miniature acting like a segway to Vallitseva which embraces the icy clicks that punctuates much of the Pan Sonic output. Arvioimaton Ongelma is an audio riddle whilst Jaettu jitters around a dancefloor crawl. Autioitu closes proceedings as a gentle ambient thumper. Asuma is awash with contradiction and mystery. This is time wrapped in twisted turns and rewards a neat payoff for those interested in the absolute fringes of electronic ‘dance’ music.