The Stars Beyond

He may have just moved back to his hometown of Lahti, Finland after years of global living, but Jimi Tenor is far from his days of the mid-80s making noisecore with a bunch of local friends. His Beyond The Stars (2004), which is the follow-up to his 2003 genre-spanning milestone, is a gleeful horn-and-choral studded romp in 70s era jazz and the desire to resurrect awe towards space. With majestic and approachable horn sections alongside a charmingly hearty co-ed choir, Tenor has painstakingly crafted an album that is both musically reflective and relevant today. His darling (and nearly kitsch) fascination with space themes is illustrated through song titles, lyrics, recording treatments and effects ("Take Off", "Miracles"). Tenor disallows the space theme to become juvenile by basing his complex and mature compositions in orchestral-sounding instrumentals and sturdy lyrics…