"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 trio, and the sound of the pump organ takes center stage next to Vuk's startling voice."
Hello, hello. I'm Vuk, and this is my music. Vuk was once a one-woman band, but then my ideas about music started taking off in all sorts of unexpected directions and led to some pretty heavy expansion. Now, the core of the live lineup has stabilized itself into a trio of song, percussion and various organs. This is my favorite incarnation. Loupine and Janne Lastumäki are utterly musical beings and wonderful people. I love my band! I still write and arrange everything, and Vuk is my personal alter ego more than anything else, but our live shows are definitely a band thing unless I'm performing alone with my pump organ or in some other special constellation. Juho Alajuuma has been joining us lately on autoharp. Call it bare-bones chamber music, if you like.
I try to make music that surprises and moves people. I like to break my habits when I get too comfortable with them. I like to build landscapes you can lose yourself in. My heart is my musical compass. Rules are made to be broken. And by the way, pump organs are greatly under-appreciated instruments!
My second album, "The Plains" was released in Finland in 2009 by Pyramid/Johanna kustannus. My debut album, "Exile!," was released through Verdura Records in 2003. (Go to the Verdura website to order, but I think it's just about sold out.)
Thank you for listening!
Some quotes on the album:
"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
"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
"startlingly beautiful"
- Susie Wild, Clash
"gorgeously rich"
- Spinning Platters
"[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
Vuk! You were wonderful last night. We took this video of one of your songs (not sure of the title) and the audio came out great. Thought we'd send it your way.
I very much enjoyed seeing/hearing you @ Webster Hall on the 29th. I'd love to know more specifics of the instruments you played that night. The "monster harmonium" sounded especially fantastic. Thanks!
Thanks for accepting me as a friend!!! LOVE YOUR MUSIC. Please do come to Helsinki soon!!! Jos tuutte, mä oon eturivissä ja lupaan hihkua: VUK on maailman suurin, kaunein ja paras! Teidän musiikki on järkyttävän hienoa. Much love, Ariel
