From Helsinki comes the beautiful and emotive tones of Virta, a trio creating stunning instrumental post-jazz music, and it’s an absolute treat of a listen.
Although for the most part, Hurmos is a fairly simplistic piece, the approach works well for the band – it makes you pay closer attention and as a result it means that you pick up on elements that you may not have otherwise notice; those small little embellishments that add a lot to a piece whilst simultaneously staying in the background.
The ambience to the music is very special, with Virta creating atmospheric moods and soundscapes with their music, painting a stunning photo with their lush instrumentation, and subsequently it’s a pleasure to listen to. The trumpet playing throughout is particularly nice, and has a fantastic tone to it – the sound is very clear and succinctly performed, and it slots in nicely next to the more ambient instrumentation, adding a great bit of melody to everything.
A particularly high point takes place in the closing track of the album, On The Run, which is one of the more energetic songs of Hurmos, and the more alternative, eclectic vibe to the song certainly makes it leave a lasting impression to you as the album comes to a close, courtesy of the squeals and clashing sounds!
All in all, a fantastic album. Virta have created something impressive with Hurmos and it makes for some stunning listening.
9/10
