Televisio — Televisio

Finnish avant-electro band Televisio saw their eponymous debut released this July from Ektro Records. Backed by a bold press release, this short, sparse, electronic offering does its best to worm its way into the heart and mind of a listener looking for something more than the standard synth routine. However, well worded statements and the best intentions aren't always effective.

Televisio is a mixed bag of synth laden offerings. Moving between the sparse, slow pieces like the opener, "Ykkönen," to full on synthwave treats like "Nelonen," Televisio keeps the listener questioning the direction and intent of the album. This is a nice approach in that, by design, there is little repetition, and one's attention will remain strong. Unfortunately, the differences in styles are a bit uneven, and the fuller songs far outshine the more sparse tracks. While numbers like "Nelonen," "Vitonen," and "Seiska" are super strong and showcase Televisio's talents, wacky, haphazard sounding, arpeggio laden songs like "Ykkönen" and "Kolmonen" feel very amateur in comparison. While the press release speaks to artistic merit, one has to wonder if this is by design. Are these selections designed to challenge what one thinks of modern electronics, or are they just uninteresting? Could the former be an explanation for the latter?

There is a lot of really excellent, stark electronic music on display on Televisio. There is no doubt that this duo have talent and have a strong interest in this genre of music. However, there is also a good amount of troubling, seemingly slapped together music on this as well. Synthwave styled albums and acts are a dime a dozen these days, so it makes one wonder if this is heartfelt or a cash in. Half of the album pushes strongly for the former, while the other half makes a sad argument for the latter. Sometimes one feels overly critical, especially when making quality music is beyond his or her ken, but with releases like this flooding the market, one is in a great spot to choose only those that are worth their full attention.