Ous Mal

Ous Mal was a "sampler folk duo covered with dirt and pine cones" from Helsinki, Finland formed in 2009 by sound artist Olli Aarni, later joined by his girlfriend Iiris. Finding common ground between the dusty tenor of old skool hip-hop cassettes and the fog of deep ambience as a base, the music of Ous Mal also takes on an ingrained influence of traditional Finnish folk for an epic, otherworldly take on sound and song. These atmospheric pieces can slowly swell into ecstasy or settle into hazy shades and spring into moments of joyful pop abandon. That line back to tradition - with some pieces using the age-old Finnish stringed-instrument, kantele and others drawing from old Finnish hymnal albums - makes for a lyrical imagery that evokes an elusive sense of place. It’s a sound with the lingering presence of the past but with one eye set firmly on taking it into the future. The way things in nature change through time and surroundings is a recurring inspiration for Olli’s music, heard especially in the way he often takes his textures towards compelling points of decay. In November 2011 Ous Mal announced its continuing as Nuojuva. http://www.o-a.tumblr.com Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.