Back in 2021, I stumbled across an album called Ice Fleet by Kauan. I liked it at first, but after several months, I was absolutely obsessed. So, I’ve checked out their earlier works and been patiently waiting for the next record. That album is called Wayhome, which released on November 7th.
Kauan hail from Finland. The band is something of a mystery, but I think I have the lineup correct. That would be Anton Belov on vocals, guitar, keys, and programming; Alina Belova on keys and backing vocals; Helena Dumell on viola; Niko Salminen on bass; and Kristian Merilahti on drums.
They play what they call cinematic post-metal, and that’s as good a name as any. They fall under the metal category somewhere, but their music is smoother and more abstract than that. You’ll hear plenty of riffs, but they are often muted, hovering as if inside a wall of mist, deep inside a celestial presence. You’ll hear lots of keys, especially some wicked synth solos, but they only come to the surface from time to time, when the moment is just right. Their music is like a fomenting sea from which color and emotions emerge in calculated, yet organic fashion.
You see, Wayhome is one long composition separated into eight tracks. They work on their own, but they flow together. And, yes, that does make it difficult to review. All I know, though, is that the stream of emotions and textures leaves me feeling happy and hopeful. The album itself feels like letting go, daring to dream, and learning to execute and recover. That sounds fairly cold and simple, but the album is clear in the feelings it offers: don’t be afraid to follow your heart’s call and never give up.
For my money, the second half is the stronger of the two, but it’s all very consistent and wonderful. The first half starts with foggy ambition in “Aim/Decide” with its sparkling mist and moves on to lightbulb moments and planning in “Outline/Pave” with its choral and enlightened sound. The album hits its stride with “Depart/Dive” with its burgeoning drive that explodes into a powerful synth solo that feels like taking the leap. The first half ends with “Leave/Let Go”, which feels like failure but recovery, too. I love how they bring in the light harsh vox at this point, and how the cello brings humanity and resolve. It’s probably the heaviest song on the album, too.
In the second half, the album is simply perfect. I love the post-rock slowburn of “Soothe/Sear” as it pictures healing. I love the somewhat sinister drive of “Haste/Ascend” that breaks into a floating melody at the end. The last two tracks are my favorites: “Embrace/Repel” with its mountainous, hovering riffs and searing synth solo, and “Arrive/Resolve” with thoughtful, rising rhythms that bleed cinema, hope, and spirit. The album leaves me with goosebumps and a whirlwind of aspirations.
Kauan do their own thing, and it’s always fantastic. I love the blend of heaviness, space, and melody, punctuated with accents and flavors that give it character. It’s like a bottomless well into which you’ll dive deeper depths each time you listen. Give Wayhome a try!
____________
Find Kauan online:
____________
____________
The PROG Mind 