Echo Is Your LoveSheets Of Blank Fucking Paper

What is it with European bands these days? All of a sudden it’s not enough for them to gain precious television exposure prancing about on Eurotrash singing about licking exotic fruit, they have to go all art-rock on us in the hope that we’ll take them seriously as well. First it was Icelandic shoe-gazers Sigur Rós and German post-rock outfit Jullander. Now, before you can say 'he may only be a substitute at Barcelona, but that Jari Litmannen’s a bit fucking good', here comes Finland’s most recent export, Echo Is Your Love.

Weighing in somewhere between the Blonde Redhead and proto-riot grrls Bette Davis & the Balconettes, 'Sheets Of Blank Fucking Paper' provides the proof that screaming really is an international language as Nea hollers away like a good ‘un while the boys work through their No Wave obsessions.

Originally forming to make "beautiful noise without being tied to too many chains of song structure", the Love more than live up to their manifesto, as layers of cacophonous guitars are welded over a juddering rhythm section, even if 'Not So Cool Pop Stars For Hire On The Spot' could more accurately be described as painful the away it lurches along seemingly unconcerned by the concept of tune or melody.

Elsewhere, 'Black & Red Lies On Yellow' sounds like 'Death Valley ‘69' had it been recorded by Huggy Bear instead of Sonic Youth, while 'Nym' goes for the slow and brooding approach before guitarists Micho and Ilai turn all nasty, liberally dousing everything in squalling, if not deafening, feedback. They may not have what it takes to knock transsexual Israelis and teenaged Danes out of the Eurovision Song Contest, but Echo Is Your Love may be about to claw back some credibility for Finnish music.