The members of Helsinki, Finland's Kesä may have roots in hardcore-oriented acts like Lighthouse Project, Ills, and Total Recall, but their self-titled debut full-length actually consists of strikingly impressive post-punk—seemingly inspired by early (and possibly obscure) shades of the genre.
Kesä really nails the delivery here—sounding accurately and affectionately "dated" in approach, though not so much in terms of production values, etc. And without coming across as a simple throwback, either. Dark and somber, but not without a sense of catchy energy when necessary, there's definitely some contemporary shimmer here and there—though plunky, bass-centric rhythms often run the show, of course. Great use of synths, too.
Impressively executed, the album comes highly recommended for post-punk aficionados. Pick it up on CD, LP, or via Bandcamp.
