ADVERTISE
CONTACT US
SUBMISSIONS
  • News
    Attractive female singer

    Coco O releases captivating soul / Someone Younger

    woman sitting on sofa

    [WATCH] Marie Dahlstrom / Make It Up To You ft. Kofi Stone

    Sunnan band

    Sunnan and Titiyo combine on a Scandinavian Soul Gem

    Söndagsklubben

    Söndagsklubben capture a Swedish summer / Fel Tjej

    Reb Parker

    Reb Parker soothes with laid back Neo-soul / Prejudice

    Adama Janlo

    Adama Janlo releases powerful debut single / Hurt

    Malu

    MALU delivers an uplifting summer anthem / Comfort Zone

    Jaya May

    Jaya May delivers soul power / Yours

  • Reviews
    • All
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
    • Single / EP Reviews
    Steph album cover

    Love Seasons (Pt 1) – STEPH

    Susanne Ørum Get Real

    Get Real – Susanne Ørum

    Be Free Ebba Åsman

    Be Free – Ebba Åsman

    Nocturnal - Venus Anon

    Nocturnal – Venus Anon

  • Features
    • All
    • Interviews
    • Scandinavian Soul Sessions
    • Soul Talk
    Stylish black girl in shades

    [INTERVIEW] Behind the video with RÜ

    Black & white soul singer

    Soul music – the sound of societal change

    Johan Nilsson

    [INTERVIEW] Behind the groove with Band of Pockets

    Aureola

    I wanted it to sound like the feeling of running your hand over silk – Aureola

    Naomi Vaughn

    ‘We just broke out laughing and kept laughing’ – Interview with Naomi Vaughn

  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Music Awards
    • Scandinavian Soul Festival 2013
  • Artists / Bands
  • Videos
    • Playlists
  • Shop
    • SOUL SHOP
      • STYLE
      • MERCHANDISE
      • VINYL
      • BOOKS
      • SALE
No Result
View All Result
0

No products in the basket.

  • News
    Attractive female singer

    Coco O releases captivating soul / Someone Younger

    woman sitting on sofa

    [WATCH] Marie Dahlstrom / Make It Up To You ft. Kofi Stone

    Sunnan band

    Sunnan and Titiyo combine on a Scandinavian Soul Gem

    Söndagsklubben

    Söndagsklubben capture a Swedish summer / Fel Tjej

    Reb Parker

    Reb Parker soothes with laid back Neo-soul / Prejudice

    Adama Janlo

    Adama Janlo releases powerful debut single / Hurt

    Malu

    MALU delivers an uplifting summer anthem / Comfort Zone

    Jaya May

    Jaya May delivers soul power / Yours

  • Reviews
    • All
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
    • Single / EP Reviews
    Steph album cover

    Love Seasons (Pt 1) – STEPH

    Susanne Ørum Get Real

    Get Real – Susanne Ørum

    Be Free Ebba Åsman

    Be Free – Ebba Åsman

    Nocturnal - Venus Anon

    Nocturnal – Venus Anon

  • Features
    • All
    • Interviews
    • Scandinavian Soul Sessions
    • Soul Talk
    Stylish black girl in shades

    [INTERVIEW] Behind the video with RÜ

    Black & white soul singer

    Soul music – the sound of societal change

    Johan Nilsson

    [INTERVIEW] Behind the groove with Band of Pockets

    Aureola

    I wanted it to sound like the feeling of running your hand over silk – Aureola

    Naomi Vaughn

    ‘We just broke out laughing and kept laughing’ – Interview with Naomi Vaughn

  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Music Awards
    • Scandinavian Soul Festival 2013
  • Artists / Bands
  • Videos
    • Playlists
  • Shop
    • SOUL SHOP
      • STYLE
      • MERCHANDISE
      • VINYL
      • BOOKS
      • SALE
No Result
View All Result
0

No products in the basket.

No Result
View All Result

Combo De La Musica launch exhilarating debut album

Danish duo Furns release special edition vinyl

Mikko Pettinen & Happy People: Nothing Can Stop My Spirit

Andy Collins by Andy Collins
05/11/2016
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Pinterest

After reviewing music from Finland over the years, I can conclude that Finnish soul artists always give 100%. There is no midpoint to aspire to. They’re passionate about music, so it’s all or nothing.

Finnish soul began with Quintessence, became established with Tuomo, and grew with Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators, Dolla Lova, Humus and The Napkins, to name but a few. All have all set the standard, and it’s a high one.

With a beautifully designed vinyl album, a CD and a live DVD (yes, a live DVD) to accompany his latest release, Nothing Can Stop My Spirit, it’s clear that Mikko Pettinen is another passionate Finnish music creator, too.

mikko cover240Mikko is an award-winning jazz trumpet player, keyboard player, and arranger. His latest album features the 11-piece soul ensemble Happy People, which combines jazz, soul and funk.

The 10-track album sports a striking cover that montages shapes into the letter M. The same level of thought is carried into the music. If you like Steely Dan (as I do), then I suggest you keep reading. The similarities between the artists’ sounds are unmistakable, though you’ll hear that Mikko contributes his own style of Nordic funk!

The album opens with the fast-tempo ‘The Happy People Theme (Everybody Get Up)’. The live DVD is included in the double CD, and here you get to see Mikko and the band perform this funky track in front of a studio audience. It’s a neat idea, even if it does feel a little staged.

‘Summer Love’ (my fave on the album) has the soul jazz vibes of Steely, and I enjoyed it immensely.

However, for the first time in the history of listening to Scandinavian soul music, I felt uncomfortable listening to the next track.

Mikko takes us to church on ‘Waiting For my Change’, a duet with Hanna-Maria Helenius, and a homage to southern American gospel soul. As Mikko sings in a deep-voiced ‘soul’ tone, it immediately feels wrong. Trying to emulate the suffering of black people, this ‘blue-eyed’ version actually feels incredibly insulting, not empathetic.

Moving swiftly on…

Track #4, ‘Because I Got You’ has a warm groove, sweet horns and an attractive vibe about modern social media and society. ‘Nothing Can Stop My Spirit’ continues the good vibes.

The tempo slows and the lights dim with the ballad, ‘I Wanna Grow Old with You’. One of Finland’s greatest-ever vocalists, Heini Ikonen from Dolla Lova, is among the backing singers, and I scratch my head as my thoughts turn to her while I listen to trumpeter Mikko’s exposed vocals on this otherwise beautifully crafted track.

The Latin vibes and mellow tones make the next track, ‘Perfectly Imperfect’, my second-favourite on the album.

Ben E. King’s classic ‘Stand By Me’ feels like an odd choice to add as a ‘cover’ track. Usually, the cover version should provide the opportunity to creatively personalize, however, this well-known, karaoke classic’s original echoes are simply too difficult to escape. It would, for example, have been more enjoyable had Mikko picked an obscure track by a rock band. (Case in point: Finnish duo Humus announced their arrival with a sexy, soulful version of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love.’)

Nothing Can Stop My Spirit is like a bottle of wine. Full-bodied with a mixture of flavours, yet afterwards you can’t remember the name and instead open a new one.

At least it comes with a DVD.

 

The Review

1.5 Score

Review Breakdown

  • 2
Tags: Dolla LovaHeini IkonenMikko PettinenTuomo
Retro Soul Playlist Retro Soul Playlist Retro Soul Playlist
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Man in cap red background
Latest News

Award-winning Tuomo releases new soul ballad / Walk On

by Andy Collins
14/07/2021
Graphic album art
Latest News

TUOMO reflects our feelings with alternative R&B single / A Connection 

by Andy Collins
22/01/2021
Abstract image of man in hat
Latest News

Tuomo finds a release from Quarantine

by Andy Collins
10/04/2020
Mish midnight Sun cover
Reviews

Midnight Sun – Misha

09/03/2020
Load More

Discover more

Attractive female singer
Latest News

Coco O releases captivating soul / Someone Younger

10/06/2023
woman sitting on sofa
Latest News

[WATCH] Marie Dahlstrom / Make It Up To You ft. Kofi Stone

09/06/2023
Sunnan band
Latest News

Sunnan and Titiyo combine on a Scandinavian Soul Gem

09/06/2023
Prev Next
tigeradvert

Archives

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

  • Sound on. 🎼🔊You just need a few seconds of this uplifting gospel soul to touch your emotions.💕 @jayamay_ recently released the video to her powerful single Yours, a song actually dedicated to friendships than a partner. But feel free to send it to someone you love! 💕 It’s pure heart and soul.
See the full video and follow this Danish artist @jayamay_ 
#scandinaviansoul #danish #soul #jayamay #newvideo
  • A moving soul single Hurt by @adamajanlo resonates with emotion. I’ve been trying to catch up on all the songs lately as life has been getting in the way but what is life without music? And especially good music like this. @adamajanlo is just starting. Follow this Norwegian/Gambia artist soulful journey!❤️ / Andy
#scandinaviansoul #newmusic #adamajanlo #soul #norwegiansoul #newartist
  • Available on vinyl we took a listen to Get Real the debut album from Danish artist @susanneorum . The elegant soul singer’s album is brimming with R&B with ‘90s influences and did we say it’s on vinyl? 🥰 Well, it’s as good as it looks!! ❤️❤️ listen and read our review 
#susanneorum #scandinaviansoul #rnb #vinyl #danish #lp #newmusic #albumreview #album

Little extra details…

  • Our services
  • My account
  • Customer Service
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Behind the scenes

  • ABOUT US
  • EVERYTHING SCANDINAVIAN SOUL IS AND ISN’T
  • JOIN OUR TEAM

stripe

© 2023 scandinaviansoul.com. Design by 68-design.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Single / EP Reviews
    • Album Review
    • Live Review
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • Soul Talk
  • Events
    • Scandinavian Soul Festival 2013
  • Videos
  • Playlists
  • Artists / Bands
  • SOUL SHOP
  • Cart
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • About us
Close