Radio Supernova - Paratiisi (2023)

The prime example of European psychedelic shoegaze music comes from the city of Tampere in Finland. Radio Supernova are back to the blog with their third album called Paratiisi and, as it's been two times already,  it could hardly be more exciting and mesmerizing a trip.

The cult-like vibes are strong on this one: from the fittingly psychedelic band's photo, the cover art to the album's title that translates to "Paradise". And this whole entourage is a perfect wrapping for the band's music. While it's loud and the guitars easily create this shoegaze-like noisy atmosphere, it's more about embracing the psychedelic rock formula and taking it to the new levels. I love how Kata Riikonen's vocals are exactly between the ethereal kind of dreamy music and the juicy psychedelia: they are both energetic and oneiric which is certainly not an easy thing to achieve. Not to mention that the Finnish language sounds perfect here: it's moody exotic vibes fit right into the obscurity of the artists' music.

And the music itself is as colourful as the cover art is. That's the exact opposition to minimalist music: a lot is going on every second, even in those rare ballad-like fragments, it's hard to focus on one element of the music at once. Which is literally perfect for an album the track titles of which translate to things like "Eternal Midsummer" and "At the neon party".

Paratiisi costs 7 EUR.

Radio Supernova - Takaisin (2021)

Radio Supernova - Tähtiin (2019)

Check: Läpi yön

Country: Finland

Genre: shoegazey psychedelic rock

Label: Soit Se Silti

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Radio Supernova - Takaisin (2021)

Finnish "mansegaze," or particularly psychedelic shoegaze, is back with the Tampere-based Radio Supernova releasing their second album with which they prove the psychedelic rock scene is theirs to take it. Takaisin includes at least as good quality music as it was with the band's debut.

This is the kind of colourful shoegaze that preserves the noise music/soothing (but also, paradoxically, punkish) vocals ratio but at the same time is more focused on the psychedelia of the rich music layer, creating a guitar-based maze that engages the audience with ease. It's also a fast album with Tammikuu already setting the pace that is only built on by songs like Väkivaltaa that is simply created to dance to. Even if the dance is wide and chaotic. On the other hand, you can hardly say the music here lacks atmosphere. The guitar sounds create a layer that is impenetrable and thick as hell, and also that combines loudness with melody, especially in the longer tracks like Kadoksiin and in the piano-based noise of Utopia.

The album is a good continuation of the debuting Tähtiin. Same vibes, same atmosphere but at the same time no feeling of repetitiveness. No wonder that the album's title translates to "Again". Also, no wonder, the album's one of the best scoring release of 2021 as far according to Rate Your Music.

Takaisin costs 6 EUR.

Radio Supernova - Tähtiin (2019)

Check: Utopia 

Country: Finland

Genre: psychedelic shoegaze

Label: Soit Se Silti

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Radio Supernova - Tähtiin (2019) EN

The Fins from Radio Supernova came up with their own genre to define their music, as I found in the album's announcements, they say that shoegaze and dream pop is for losers and they play mansegaze. So be it. The important thing is that it sounds brilliant.

So what's this mansegaze anyway? The artists again: "it combines buzzing guitars with pop hooks and worldly themes." What in this case is the difference between this and the "traditional" shoegaze? Perhaps it's the pugnacity of the guitars that are not only very loud but also pretty fast and aggressive. Or maybe it's the reappearing all over the place psychedelic vibe. Still, I'd say it's "just" shoegaze on a really high, world class level.

Within the album's thick and catchy shoegaze, one can pick up some particularly well-done tracks. Like Sykli that's extremely loud but also pace-changing, or the energetic and catchy Myöhemmin, or Kyyti that develops into spine-thrilling uproar in the end.

Tähtiin costs 5 EUR.

Check: Kyyti

Country: Finland

Genre: psychedelic shoegaze

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Radio Supernova - Tähtiin (2019) PL

Finowie z Radio Supernova wymyślili sobie oryginalne określenie dla granej przez siebie muzyki, jak znalazłem w zapowiedziach płyty, mówią, że shoegaze i dream pop jest dla leszczy, a oni grają mansegaze. Niech będzie. Ważne, ze brzmi znakomicie.

Czym więc jest ów mansegaze? Znowu artyści: "to połączenie hałasujących gitar, chwytliwego popu i tematów muzycznych z całego świata". Czym więc różni się od shoegaze'u "tradycyjnego"? Być może trochę zadziornością gitar, które są nie tylko głośne, ale też szybkie i porywające. Być może ujawniającą się co i rusz inspiracją psychodelią. Mimo wszystko powiedziałbym, że to po prostu shoegaze na naprawdę wysokim poziomie. 

Spośród zawartego na płycie gęstego i przebojowego shoegaze'u wybrać można kilka szczególnie udanych kawałków, takich jak wyjątkowo głośny chociaż zmieniający tempo Sykli, bardzo energetyczny i przebojowy Myöhemmin, czy w końcu zamieniając się w komplety zgiełk Kyyti.

Tähtiin kosztuje 22 złote (5 EUR).

Sprawdź: Kyyti

Kraj: Finlandia

Szufladka: psychedelic shoegaze

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