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Stinako (Finland) – Spirit (EP)

Stinako (Stina Koistinen) has released, via the Soliti label, the last in her trilogy of EPs titled ‘Mind,’‘ Body’, and ‘Spirit’, in which each one focused on different aspects of her humanity, working with different producers and seeking, in her own words, “to explore and experiment, enriching the artistic landscape of my unique perspective and contributions.”

In the case of ‘Spirit’ it was recorded in Stockholm and produced by Erik ‘Errka’ Petersson.

All three EPs represent different genres of music. (NMC has reviews of the other two).

‘Mind’ delves into her thoughts and experiences regarding illness and mortality while ‘Body’ celebrates the physicality of existence, emphasising the importance of embracing and enjoying your body despite societal pressures and personal struggles.

Stina said right from the start that Spirit’ would examine her worldview and beliefs about the state of the world. It would contain both reflections on current events, such as political elections, as well as expressions of hope and values.

I’ll lay my cards on the table. That last statement put me on my guard. I am one of very few commentators in this business that does not hold liberal views. In contrast about 98% of the music world does. I would class myself as centre-right.

That has caused numerous problems in the 10 years I’ve been doing this and I’ve been hounded out of two other publications because of those views. It’s why I set up on my own. I wasn’t looking forward to encountering opinions with which I could not agree from an artist for whom I have great respect.

But that’s not how it turned out, at all. Lyrically all the songs are ambiguous in content and essentially declare the same world weariness that everyone else endures along with the occasional expression of hope that things can only get better.

Politics is actually in short supply. Anyone expecting “Orpo Out!” (the Finnish Prime Minister), never mind “Feed Trump to the sharks!” is in for a disappointment.

It’s the music as much as the words that grab the attention and it is a very pleasant surprise. I’d call the combination secular gospel. If there is one genre I wasn’t expecting its gospel and definitely not this unique variation on it.

That gospel feel is there in the first track, ‘Is this happening?’ in a subtle way via a church organ that’s straight out of the Bible Belt and which finds its way back into others, later.

Otherwise it’s a dream pop becomes nightmare pop track as Stina poses the question everyone must be asking right now as the norms of the world fragment and disintegrate. She might have added more emphasis by titling it ‘Is this really happening’?

The BBC here in the UK recently ran a repeat of the apocalyptic drama ‘Threads’, last shown in the 1980s and which relates the impact and outcome of a nuclear bomb exploding close to the city of Sheffield and the dreadful lot of the survivors. It really is dystopian stuff, hard to watch at times, and this song would have made a fitting finale.

Apart from that, it’s quite gorgeous. She has a gift for this sort of thing.

‘On the Edge’ follows and offers a more upbeat take.

“Many times I’ve been alone in my life…

…I thought I was running out of time

But now I know that change will come

Like the morning and the sun”.

Or does it? Could that be no more than a brief respite?

“Days run ahead of me

And I think of all the ways I’m failing

Trying to keep my light alive

Even though I see it’s wavering away”.

Then,

“I never thought I’d spend my time here dying

I never thought I would be on the edge

All of the time”.

That church organ is back and it is in funereal mode on this song, one that for my money could equally have turned up in ‘Mind’ or ‘Body’, and it makes for a wonderful contrast with the soulful dynamism of the last verse.

I love her lyricism, too.

“I never thought I would need fortifying

I never thought I could be mortified of trying.”

Fiona Apple, eat your heart out.

‘I believe’ immediately brings to mind Frankie Laine’s song of the same title, which holds the record for the highest number of weeks at #1 in the UK charts, in 1953 (not Bryan Adams).

There is still conjecture about its meaning. The most popular conclusion is that it is a hymn – that the things he lists that he believes in are those that seal his faith in God. Another interpretation is that he just believes in life.

And so to the Stinako song, which sets its stall out right from the start.

“I don’t believe in God

I just believe in kindness of your heart”.

It seems to me that Stina is subscribing here to the view that life is made up of positives and negatives, all of which have to be experienced in order to value the experience, despite the pain the negatives cause.

Towards the end she lists, as did Laine, those experiences, but amongst the tangibles (music, peace, doing the right thing etc), are the intangibles (dolphins and bears; peaches and pears) which is almost an existential view – peripherals that have little substance but which have a disproportionate impact on living. She could have easily mentioned TikTok and Reels; or Temu and Shein, if they rhymed.

And I love the line, a sarcastic one, I’m sure: “And I believe in science; we should all do that.” Is she an anti vaxxer?

Musically, this one heads off in a different direction altogether, developing into a real rocker and ending up as a jam. It should be dynamite, live.

The final track, ‘Songs of Freedom’ serves as an antidote to the opener, if not to the others, and the gospel is in full flow. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

The people are in the streets and everyone’s happy. No man is an island. QED.

And yet, is there a sting in the tail? “And for a day they’re happy”. Is it all rather more ephemeral than they would wish for?

So once again Stinako present us with the best of Finnish alt/art rock and pop. Music that you can take at face value and just sit back and enjoy, or spend all night brooding over the lyrics.

As for this little diversion into gospel, well firstly I hope she doesn’t draw a line under it now and that in the fullness of time more will come. It adds another string to her already mightily impressive bow.

Secondly, I’m reminded of Jenny Lewis, whose band, Rilo Kiley, was struggling for recognition despite the excellence of their work, prompting her to chance her arm with the Gospel-inspired ‘Rabbit Fur Coat’ in 2006. She never looked back.

8.5/10

The ‘Spirit’ EP was recorded in Stockholm with the musicians Hannah Tolf, Xenia Kriisin, Peter Morén, Wille Alin and Erik ‘Errka’ Petersson. Recorded at No Regrets Fonogram studio.

Incidentally, if you are in Helsinki the play Angels of America is on at the National Theatre. Stina composed the music.

Find her on:

Website: https://www.stinakoistinen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stinakomusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stinak0/

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