Juho Toivonen - Sisarusten Toistuva Uni (2024)

Sisarusten Toistuva Uni is the sophomore album from Juho Toivonen, a young sound artist based in Pori, Finland. It follows up the piano-heavy debut album Kasveille Ja Eläimille released in 2023 - a record that was one of the major highlights at the Discreet Music HQ last year. The new album revolves around a recurring dream that Juho and his sister Ida-Sofia shared unknowingly. The 8 songs on the album resemble childhood memories, lacking clear borders or narrative, yet painted with strong, rich, and vivid colors.

On Sisarusten Toistuva Uni, Toivonen employs a broader palette of sounds compared to his previous work, while still exploring the austere piano improvisations from Kasveille and the folky drone bliss from his early cassettes. Some parts echo the ambiance of mid-00s favorites from labels like Fonal Records and PseudoArcana, and the wide scope strangely evokes memories of classic compilations like By The Fruits You Shall Know The Roots and New Skin For The Old Ceremony. The amalgamation of different sounds and influences ultimately results in a cohesive and uniquely special album firmly situated within the Discreet Music universe, yet distinct from anything else on the label.