This is the second release from the Otherworld Ensemble entitled Northern Fire, an exploration in improvisation featuring international Finnish music iconoclasts, bassist Teppo Hauta-aho, and saxophonist Mikko Innanen as well as special guest accordion virtuoso Veli Kujala. The music was recorded during a live session at Kaapelitehdas (The Cable Factory) in the heart of Helsinki, Finland in May of 2017.

Heikki "Mike" Kosikinen - tenor recorder, e-trumpet, flutes, kantele
Teppo Hauta-aho - double bass, percussion, pigs
Rent Romus - alto saxophone, flutes, bells, mandolin banjo
Mikko Innanen - alto and sopranino saxophones, flutes, percussion, pigs
Veli Kujala - quartertone accordion



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"The stream of open, spacious, Taiga sound reminds us of the starry frost engraved on the Kalevala that has been handed down by oral tradition for centuries. The overlapping of the five sounds is like a love affair where the birds and trees in the Finnish coniferous forest communicate with each other through the wind. The thinness of the air, which can be said to be ambient, makes the title “Northern Fire”."
- Takeshi Goda, JazzTokyo

"These improvisations really go deep and have an almost ‘religious’ intensity. I especially enjoyed the accordion played by Kujala. Kujala is a very reputed interpreter of contemporary composed music but from the start of his career also very active in territories of jazz and improvisation. But also I need to mention the flute and trumpet playing by Innanen. This one is pure beauty by one of the finest collaborations of Rent Romus I know of and for sure one my highlights for this year!
- (DM) Vital Weekly #1177