Cats Of Transnistria are the duo formed by Henna Emilia Hietamäki and Tuomas Alatalo and today they are releasing their debut. It is said to be an EP, but at nearly 30 minutes and with a thematic and musical unity, I do not have a problem considering this release a full-length album. The four songs that comprise the Away EP create a dark, suffocating atmosphere that develops slowly until it becomes an hypnotic drone. At the same time the dynamics and the dreamy vocals add certain relief, certain beauty. This is music to enjoy slowly, preferably late at night, in a calm setting, with your eyes closed.

Cats of Transnistria were one of my five Finnish artists to watch in 2015, and the Away EP confirms that the duo is heading in the right direction. It will be very interesting to see how this music evolves in the future. Like fellow Rosvo Jukka Tulensytyttäjä says in his review, time will tell.

Unfortunately, this is only a digital release, with no CD and/or vinyl version available. You can buy the EP with just three euros straight from the Soliti web. Or if you’re cheap, you can stream the whole EP on Spotify below.