Finnish dream-pop duo Babel return with their new EP, entitled ‘Mirrors,’ alongside their shimmering titular single.
Babel masterfully crafts a serene, intricate musical realm brimming with soft vocals and compelling melodies. Radiating tranquility, the single becomes the perfect antidote to the tumult of the weekly grind. Karin Mäkiranta and Mikko Pykäri (Regina, Shine 2009) came together during Pykäri’s work on his notable solo album. Their creative synergy was so seamless that it ignited the desire to co-write pop songs in English. This harmonious partnership bore creative fruit, leading to the release of their first album, “Yoga Horror,” in 2022.
Mäkiranta’s ethereal melodies and fanciful vocals harmonize beautifully with Babel’s unhurried rhythms and foggy guitar chords, reminiscent of musical inspirations like The xx, Suzanne Vega, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, and Beach House.
“Mirrors” initiates as a poignant piano narrative, gradually integrating subtle synth undertones and heavenly harmonies. This lays the groundwork for Mäkiranta’s soft, yet spirited, vocal delivery as it crescendoes right up into the heavens. Mirrors is a sublime meditative exploration; its embracing warmth both beckoning and consoling.
Listen below:
Mäkiranta is one half of the critically acclaimed duo Karina, who secured a nomination for the Nordic Music Prize. Out of Helsinki, Pykäri is celebrated for his influential mark on Finland’s pop evolution as a pioneering producer.
“When we were in the studio recording this with Mikko and the amazing sound engineer Väinö Karjalainen I felt like a rockstar,” muses Mäkiranta. “I can still catch the feeling when I hear this song. It might be my favourite.”
The EP Mirrors, alongside the title track, is out today through PME Records.
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