Finnish indie-folk quintet Koria Kitten Riot, fronted by songwriter Antti Reikko, have produced their most honest and developed recordings yet with their third release. ‘Rich Men Poor Men Good Men’ was inspired by Reikko being told to “work f*****g hard, be honest and make ballsy decisions”.
The album combines a combination of Americana, indie rock and psychedelia with themes of hope and science. It is a soaring collection of melodic and lyrical pop gems, all intertwined with an undercurrent of melancholy.
‘Songs of Hope and Science’
Helsinki-based indie rock band koriakittenriot return with a bang, bringing to mind their plethora of hits from the past. Their fourth album is a well thought out and executed ten track affair. The lead single ‘The Earth will spin around’ certainly made an impression, especially with its hook-worthy guitar riff and slick three-part harmonies. The aforementioned title track is also a standout, blending the most popular facets of the band’s previous efforts into one big bang – in a good way. The album demonstrates the bands penchant for crafting catchy pop songs with a hint of finesse, all backed by a slew of impressive guest performances. ‘Songs of Hope and Science’ may not be as polished as some of their older material, but it possesses all the ingredients for an exciting new chapter in the group’s story.
‘The Earth Will Spin Around’
If you’ve ever watched a sunrise or sunset, you know the Earth spins around, a constant motion that has stayed the same since our solar system formed about 4.6 billion years ago. It’s a natural part of the world we live in, and will continue to do so until it collides with a star.
Scientists believe that the Earth spins because the earliest stages of the Solar System formed when a huge cloud of gas and dust collapsed under its own gravity. As the material gathered closer to form a planet, it sped up its rotation. That’s similar to how figure skaters pull their arms in and spin faster.
Eventually, the Sun and the other planets in our Solar System formed, too. Then, the powerful radiation and solar winds from the young Sun cleared away all the old material, leaving only what was left behind in the Solar System’s accretion disk.
The angular momentum of the Sun and other planets kept them spinning for billions of years, even as they were still forming. This means that if they were to stop spinning, it would take a lot of force to overcome them — like what happens when you slam on the brakes in a car.
While we’ve seen the sun and other planets slow down over the centuries, it’s a rare instance that the earth will actually stop spinning altogether. In fact, the moon’s gravity tugs on Earth in such a way that it’s slowing the planet’s rotation to about 2 milliseconds per century.
It’s also possible that global warming could speed up our planet’s rotation again, as sea levels rise and cause the earth’s surface to shift in weight. The result might be fewer days in the year.
But if the earth stopped spinning, the atmosphere would keep on moving at its normal rate and anything that was not fixed to the ground, such as trees and buildings, would be swept away. That’s why it’s so important to have a stable planet, such as the Earth, for us to live on.
‘Breathe’
There aren’t many books that you can hold up to your chin and say, “I have to read this!” koriakittenriot’s ‘Breathe’ is one of them. It is a well-designed, concise, easy to read, informative and enjoyable read. The book is packed with information on the history of breathing, some of the top research on the subject, and the best way to actually get started. It also contains a good number of entertaining and fun factoids about breathing which I haven’t heard or read anywhere else.
Breathing is an important skill and learning how to do it properly is vital for our overall wellbeing. In this fun and informative guide, author James Nestor shares the science behind the art of breathing and the benefits of incorporating it into your life. Using real-life case studies, he covers the basics and beyond, from breathing exercises for anxiety to breathing for energy. The 304 page book will be sure to entertain, inform and inspire your mind and body. It has been a great addition to my reading pile and I recommend it to anyone looking to improve their health or simply get more out of the day. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
‘It’s Alright’
When the Finnish Indie Pop act koriakittenriot released their debut album ‘Rich Men Poor Men Good Men’ in 2015, I was immediately taken by their sweetly melodic songwriting and thoughtful lyrics. Their songs are often a prod at the frailty of humanity but are also frequently positive in nature, encouraging the audience to ‘look forward’ with hope and confidence.
On their new album ‘Songs of Hope and Science’, they return with a collection of wryly amusing but also lyrically mature songs that are thematically centred on science and hope. The band, comprised of singer-songwriter Antti Reikko and his three fellow musicians, Lasse Toimi, Teemu Vanska and Olli Rahkonen have incorporated a diverse range of influences into their work, with Elliott Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel and Wilco among the most significant contributors to their sound.
The album opens with a glockenspiel lullaby and gradually builds into an upbeat and rhythmically driven track. Reikko’s voice is incredibly powerful, as is the music which has a Wes Anderson-esque vibe to it, with the band sounding reminiscent of a cross between The Beatles and Franz Zappa at times.
Another upbeat tune comes in the form of ‘The Earth Will Spin Around’ which is a wonderfully evocative song about the power of hope and perseverance. The song posits that the earth will heal itself and the humans who have destroyed it and it is a hopeful track, a great reminder to us all of how we can overcome our fears and move on with life.
“It’s Alright” is another song that carries an optimistic theme and has a gentle melody with a soft vocal performance, and the sonic environment of the song combines well to create a relaxing experience for the listener. As with all of the tracks on ‘Songs of Hope and Science’, it is well written and well performed, a very pleasant and welcome addition to their already acclaimed back catalogue.
The song carries a message of self-forgiveness and karma which is quite therapeutic and it was wonderful to see that the band invited fans who have struggled with mental health issues to share their stories on their Facebook page in the music video. It’s an extremely moving piece of work which is well worth a listen to.