Svart Records are proud to present the first ever reissue of Ilpo Saastamoinen’s groundbreaking album Joutsenen juju. Originally released on Love Records in 1976, this double vinyl release features a full album of unreleased bonus material from Saastamoinen’s personal archives.

An active musician since his teens in the 1960’s, Saastamoinen played in Soulset with Harri Saksala and Paroni Paakkunainen. He then befriended the legendary drummer Edward Vesala and joined the folk-prog group Karelia. For most of the 70s Saastamoinen worked as leader of the local big band in Kajaani, northern Finland. Vesala had heard some of Saastamoinen’s home recordings (now released for the first time on the bonus album) and came up with the idea that became Joutsenen juju.

Album musicians were Saastamoinen himself on guitars, sitras, electric mandolin and several other rare string instruments, Heikki Sarmanto and Juhani Aaltonen on reeds, Kari Hynninen on bass and Vesala on drums. Joutsenen juju sounded very uncompromising and forward-thinking for its time and found very little audience in Finland, making original copies a real rarity. Saastamoinen and Vesala built the album on a progressive rock base, but blended styles fearlessly, making Joutsenen juju a real treasure trove for anyone into creative, psychedelic 70’s music. At times the music borders on the kind of ethno-kraut Popol Vuh were making, at others it dives headlong into psychedelic jazz.

A1 Joutsenen juju
A2 Sinä-oksa
A3 Olosuhteiden kaikuja

B1 Kiljanderin polska
B2 Air
B3 Ihmisten ja lintujen iltapäivä
B4 Huuhkajan lemmikki
B5 Saunapiian polkka

C1 Valssi
C2 Fox
C3 Valssi II
C4 Valssi III
C5 Saunapiian polkka
C6 Huuhkajan lemmikki
C7 Fox Oriental
C8 Kestin Jussin polkka

D1 Samuelin poloneesi
D2 Sinä-oksa
D3 Poloneesi
D4 Kun elämäni vielä kerran nähdä saan
D5 Kiljanderin polska
D6 Air
D7 Kuuntelen ihmistä