Artists
Vuk (Finland)
Vuk is a Finnish-American artist whose unique music carries sonic strains that weave themselves into a rich, colorful tapestry of experimental rock, Balkan vocal music, meticulously layered organ harmonies, exuberantly inventive instrumentation and polyrhythmic walls of Vodou percussion. Her songs explore inner, fictional landscapes sculpted by dreams, sex, trauma, death and spiritual ecstasy. Live, Vuk expands into a percussion-and-organ-driven quartet, and the sound of the pump organ takes center stage next to Vuk's startling voice.
Some quotes on Vuk's latest album. "The Plains":
"This radiant album operates on a level above dry platitudes, and with its power, renders meaningless any demands that would inhibit its growth or diminish its complexity."****
-Soundi
"[Vuk is] responsible for one of the most imaginative, creative releases this year. [...] New layers and details constantly surface"
- Peter Krogholm, allscandinavian.com
"an incredibly arranged masterpiece of a song album" ****'
- psychedelicfolk.com
"One of the top Finnish albums of 2009." *****
- Hämeen Sanomat
"6/6" (- TS viikkoliite), "9/10" (-Sue), "*****" (- noise.fi)
"Her songs summon up the choral and the ancient, funnelled through a modern mind. Gramophone And Periscope is almost too sweetly warm and touching to be true. Vuk's music is mysterious, deeply fascinating and fabulously original."
-A New Band A Day
"You can expect nothing but surprises from Vuk. [She] has created a spellbinding album, and unpredictability is one of The Plains' absolute strengths. [...) Vuk avoids the common pitfalls of experimental noise musicians. Not only that, but her pop sensibility caresses the ear." ****
- Marko Ylitalo, Rumba
"Critics battling space limitations may opt to describe The Plains with such tired platitudes as "magical," "uncompromising" and "ambitious" (words this album will no doubt attract like a magnet), but there are few other ways to describe one of the most interesting albums released in Finland this year."
- Samuli Knuutti, Image
On the live show:
"[Her vocals are] beautifully fragile and beautifully taunting and, in general, always straight-up powerful."
- Brandon Stosuy, Stereogum
"[Vuk performed] unprecedented wonders in a territory somewhere between that of PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Anette Peacock, a church organist on acid and ancient Bulgarian folksongs. [...] If justice prevails, Vuk will be the next sensation of [experimental] music. In truth, she already is."
-Jussi Niemi, Aamulehti
"chilling, beautiful, and pristine"
- Knocksfromtheunderground.com
"startlingly beautiful"
- Susie Wild, Clash
"gorgeously rich"
- Spinning Platters
Instrumentation
Vuk: vocals, pump organ, autoharp
Loupine: electric organ, backing vocals
Janne Lastumäki: drums
Juho Alajuuma: autoharp, percussion
Discography
The Plains, LP (Pyramid, 2009)
Rakkauden liekistö, EP (Johanna kustannus. 2008)
Exile!, LP (Verdura, 2003)






