Release date: June 28, 2024
Influences: Dark Electro, Electro-/industrial
The year is 1987. I’m thirteen years old, just starting high school, and my musical worlds are defined by the mixtapes spinning in my yellow SONY Walkman. On them, tracks from Skinny Puppy, The Klinik, and Cabaret Voltaire gradually carve out more and more of its space with each passing season.
With his roots firmly planted in the iconic dark electro, EBM, and industrial music acts like Pouppée Fabrikk, MZ.412, and Project-X, and a hand in countless other electronic music projects that span everything from classic synth pop to polished electro, the Swede Jouni Ollila has long since solidified his place in the scene. When the press release casually mentions “1987,” it almost feels like a knowing wink, signaling exactly where his influences lie. And then, just ten seconds into the opening track “Rebirth,” it becomes abundantly clear — there’s no mistaking where Jouni’s creative focus has been honed. The track is relentlessly powered by grinding, monotonous rhythms and pulsating basslines, enveloped in a rich, layered tapestry of intricate background elements that interlace seamlessly, forming a compact yet profoundly complex whole. Meanwhile, Jouni’s menacing, serpentine voice snakes through the mix like a creeping shadow, its ominous presence adding a palpable sense of impending doom.
The fourth track, "Deadly Divide", in turn, stands out as my personal favorite. Its off-kilter rhythms and skewed syncopations, enriched by layers of dissonant noise and darkness, reverberate with musical echoes that stretch from Vancouver to Antwerp, bridging distant sonic landscapes with an unsettling, yet captivating resonance. The compositions subtly follow a distinct throughline, yet the overall listening experience never lapses into monotony. The level of detail is profound, with each individual element fulfilling its function with precision, contributing to a meticulously crafted whole.
The sole deviation from the overall formula comes in the form of the somewhat shorter instrumental piece “Life Endr,” which appears midway through the album. A dense aura of mystery envelops the track as cryptic, manipulated vocal samples intertwine with filtered pads and a dissonant, arpeggiated synth loop that spirals into an unsettling, almost alien resonance.
With its eight tracks, “Swarm” may, at first glance, seem succinct and compact, yet each composition unfolds as a profound journey, framed by prolonged, nuanced intros and outros that infuse each piece with both depth and expansive growth. The melodic elements are intricate and subtle, oscillating between the intimate tones of acoustic piano and sweeping synth strings, which carve a striking contrast against the stark, dissonant, and fate-laden soundscape they inhabit. This delicate interplay between fragility and overwhelming force amplifies the emotional gravity and existential potency that permeates the album.
The aforementioned musical influences are present, clear, and unmistakable. The environmental and vocal samples, warped and playful melodic loops, and rhythmic
disruptions pulse through the tracks, transporting me directly back to the era when the pioneers of this electro-industrial genre were solidifying their legacy. Some of these early figures became my idols then, and they continue to hold that place in my heart to this day.
Jouni has seemingly taken his time with launching this music project. From what I understand, the tracks have been developing since 2017. However, despite the undoubtedly greater production capabilities available today compared to the mid-‘80s, they have been gracefully crafted with finesse and care across the eight tracks. "Swarm" emerges as Jouni’s sincere love letter to the genre — a truly brilliant one at that!
Support your scene and buy this album here.