Album Review: Auri – ‘III: Candles and Beginnings’

“We are the stuff of lovely oddities.” –Oh Lovely Oddities.

When it comes to music that finds beauty in the mundane and romanticizes life itself, no band does it better than folk/world multigenre band Auri. Their third album, III: Candles and Beginnings, is no exception to this wonderment. As a big Nightwish fan, I’ve been following this trio comprised of Tuomas and Troy of said band, plus the magical Johanna Kurkela, since their debut in 2018. While this music is significantly different than Nightwish, beautiful orchestration and dreamy atmospheres come with anything Tuomas writes, and I’m all here for it.

In songs like the intro track “The Invisible Gossamer Bridge”, I felt like I was listening to Celtic world music a-la Loreena McKennitt or Enya. The way the song flows and builds slowly with several vocal layers and pan flute and bagpipes as accompaniment is mesmerizing. It’s easy to see lush rolling hills, gray beaches, and starry nights while listening.

“Blakey Ridge” refers to the real-life location in the North York Moors that is a favorite place for the band. The acoustic guitar and pan flute solos in this song paints the beautiful landscape vibrantly. The lyrics beckon to meet at Blakey Ridge; this song certainly has me wanting to take that offer by the end.

The song I quoted at the beginning, “Oh Lovely Oddities”, is a whimsical escape from an overstimulating world. It takes you to a garden of stars and moonglow, made lush by beautiful strings and harp, plus soft piano melodies. It flows into “Libraries of Love,” which takes you from dreamy twilight to the sunny warmth of true love and devotion. It was a pleasant surprise to hear a love song on this album, given that Johanna and Tuomas are married in real life. The song left me feeling so sappy in just how sweet it is.

The first single, “Museum of Childhood,” captures what the band is all about: Pure nostalgia in a childlike perspective. The music box chiming melody that flutters throughout the track makes this song feel like a reverie. There’s also bright synths and soft percussion that, when paired with the bright and joyful vocals, is like catching lightning bugs in a jar. By the end of the song, there’s a feeling of idyllic joy, but also a slight feeling of yearning.

The last song I want to mention, the closing track “Boy Travelling With His Mother,” is the epic length (over 10 minutes), Tuomas is known for saving for last. It’s the definition of ‘soundscape’ with how the instruments paint different parts of the boy and his mothers’ journey; leaving the house with subtle synths, then the venture out of town and familiar places to a piano and violin sunrise, Queen inspired guitars at twilight and dusk, and some pan flute and rolling percussion to create the landscape of new adventures. It’s a satisfying and mesmerizing conclusion to this vibrant album.

Overall, III is a beautiful, slightly understated album. It’s not massive and bombastic, but it’s instead intricately dynamic and orchestrated to make you listen closer. It’s a quaint, whimsical escape from daily life. A dreamgate to beautiful places and brighter times, both in the past and yet to come. Auri captivates and inspires me, and will likely do the same for others who enjoy rich orchestration plus fantasy feeling music.

Track List:

1) The Invisible Gossamer Bridge
2) The Apparition Speaks
3) I Will Have Language
4) Oh Lovely Oddities
5) Libraries of Love
6) Blakey Ridge
7) Helios
8) Museum of Childhood
9) Shieldmaiden
10) Boy Travelling With His Mother