Paatos - Breathing (2011)

The term 'progressive rock' has come to mean a wide variety of different sounds and styles over the course of the past forty years. To some, Swedish band Paatos may sound like an indie act more than anything, but this art rock group should be of some interest to anyone who is looking for a more modern sound in prog. This is a female-fronted band whose music is highly song-based, and melodic. Although this band has been around for a while, they have always treaded on the underground, but hearing this latest album 'Breathing' as my first introduction to them, they appear to be one of those groups that doesn't get nearly as much respect as they deserve. 'Breathing' is a charming collection of songs that are instantly likeable; a great record to put on for any time a progger is looking for something a little less challenging to enjoy.

The songwriting of Paatos on 'Breathing' is very melodic and concise, with no moments where the instruments jump out of the song structure and do their own thing. Everything here is meant to contribute to the song, and back up the lovely vocals of Petronella Nettermalm, whose charismatic and sultry delivery bears a resemblance to the voice of Bjork. These songs are quite beautiful and have an optimism to their sound that I find really refreshing in prog. Beyond the songwriting alone though, these songs are backed up and driven by great instrumental arrangements, although things are kept pretty conservative when it comes to musicianship. The album has a somewhat Floydian approach in the sense that it is quite mellow and dreamy, especially in the flange of the guitars.

The highlight here are the vocals of Nettermalm, whose voice is distinctive enough to distinguish Paatos apart from other acts. The instrumentation is not particularly inventive or dazzling, but it is enough to make these songs sing. I did not expect to hear anything challenging or life-changing with Paatos' 'Breathing', and truth be told; there's nothing here that seeks to shake boundaries and leave a big mark on prog history. What we experience here however are well-crafted songs, and a kind presentation of something that much prog seems to lose in translation; the art of melody. Review from Progarchives.co

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Gone (5:52)

2. Fading Out (3:36)

3. Shells (5:58)

4. In That Room (4:56)

5. Andrum (1:25)

6. No More Rollercoaster (4:15)

7. Breathing (5:56)

8. Sm?rtan (4:30)

9. Surrounded (4:48)

10. Ploing, My Friend (0:56)

11. Precious (4:25)

12. Over and Out (3:31)

Total time 50:08

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Nylander / guitars

- Ricard "Huxflux" Nettermalm / drums

- Petronella Nettermalm / vocals

- Ulf "Rockis" Ivarsson / bass

Paatos- Timeloss (2002)

 

Finally an innovative group. A lot of my friends, although they dislike everything to do with rap, techno and other styles of recent music forms (I do too but can enjoy some French rap), actually thought that trip-hop was interesting because of the very expressive moods that bands like Portishead or the early Bjork. I thought that in the mid-90's, trip hop could present a form of evolution for proggers. As far as I know, this is the first album of its kind to exploit that direction and they have stricken gold right from the start. The moods and ambiances are simply beautiful as is Petronella who looks like she's coming from the northern part of Sweden and has got Lapp blood in her and in concert she made me think of the star from Iceland (Bjork), under the careful eye of hubby Huxflux, from behind his drum kit. On guitar, eine Fiske (of Landberk fame) adds up with his so expressive guitar lines this touch of almost divine background, while the other ex-Landberk Stefan Dimle rattles the bass guitar strings. Rounding up the quintet is Wallen on vintage keys.

The album seems to have at least a retro visual concept matching its title, the booklet pages showing illustration of outdated house interiors, starting with the Art Deco hotel hallway lift cage on the front cover. Opening on the excellent Sensor, starting on jazzy bass and electric piano, but once Fiske's guitar enters, the track veers superbly rock, with Petronella's voice underlined by trons of mello make a banner track, well worth the early 90's Swedish trilogy. The following and aptly-titled Hypnotique is a soft spellbinding track, lasting over 8-mins, with Petro on cello, again a superb load of mellotron washes and a guest flutist giving a haunting ambiance. Téa starts with Fiske's ever-recognizable guitar and this crescendoing track (not my fave, though) will become the A side (remixed I think) of their 45 RPM single. Fiske again opens They Are Beautiful, the weaker track of the album (IMHO, anyway), despite a superb clarinet (courtesy of the flutist mentioned above), but I find the track a little long.

Do overcome your prejudice and listen to the last track Quits, as it may set you back but if you listen carefully and are open minded, this track alone is worth hunting the album as it is mind-boggling and offers great possibilities for the group's future adventures. It is the most openly trip hop track of the album, but is the apex of the album. In concert, Quits was used to get you wilded up at the end of the set and makes you (and the rest of the crowd) beg to hear it again as the first, second and third encores.

Of course, the main deception was the album's short duration (less than 40 mins), BUT?.. The Japanese version of this album comes with two bonus tracks, thus bringing an extra superb 13 mins of pure bliss. Both tracks are without Fiske's guitars (he had already gone by then), but Nylander fills the shoes as if they were his. The 8-mins+ Ouka sounds like a superb quiet improv, but carefully controlled; while Otaku is definitely more chaotic and abstract, filled Petro's cello and weird electronic noises. Great stuff, well in line with Quits. Timeloss is definitely one of the 00's best albums and few albums of the 90's and 80's in the prog realm can come to its shoulder height. Think I'm exaggerating, uh? Get this album and quick! Try for the superb Japanese Mini-Lp version with the bonus tracks, if still available.Review from progarchives.com

Songs / Tracks Listing 

1. Sensor (5:11)
2. Hypnotique (8:32)
3. Téa (5:45)
4. They Are Beautiful (7:44)
5. Quits (12:17)

Total Time: 39:29

 Line-up / Musicians -

 Stefan Dimle / bass and double bass
- Reine Fiske / electric and acoustic guitars
- Huxflux Nettermalm / drums, congas, percussion, water, saw, triangle, programming

- Petronella Nettermalm / vocals and cello

- John Wall´n / electric piano, Hammond organ, Moog, clavia, Yamaha synths, mellotron, upright piano, Steinway grand piano, harmonium, sampler

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