Puppe Magnetik is a new dark enigmatic project from Finnish artist Aina Virtanen, with a debut album Laudans Deum out now via Rune Serpent Europa with worldwide distribution through The Circle Music. And so to, a new video for the track ‘Inner Light/Outer Protest’.
Virtanen described ‘Inner Light/Outer Protest’ as “the loudest and most hysterical song on the album”. She added that it “also has its own musicality, but it is very hostile, almost shouted to the crowd with a megaphone, it is cacophonous, abrasive noise Eastern Europe 1980 model, a crash zone, a wall of ice”.
It follows the video for the track ‘Patient AV’ that was described by Virtanen as “basically the essay I presented at school, an original decadent and industrial-influenced classical operetta, which was defined by the Academy as too extreme to be considered music, but it is a judgment that can be justified if it comes from a classical institute. Rather, it seems to come out of the soundtrack of a black and white horror.” This track provides another example of the diverse sound found on Laudans Deum.”
Before that wAs the single ‘The Labyrinth’ that showcased a different facet of Puppe Magnetik‘s artistry. Virtanen described the track as a “song born as a joke. I wanted to prove to myself that I could write a catchy song, which I tried to dirty in some way. I thought it would be fun to insert in such a dark and nocturnal album.” The single offers a compelling contrast to previously released material, hinting at the eclectic nature of Laudans Deum.
‘Act. XXII’, the album’s opening track came out first as a single. ‘Act. XXII’ is a classically inspired poem steeped in a decadent mood, featuring haunting vocal scales and a reverberating sense of spiralling horror. According to Virtanen, the track “represents a bit of the thick horror coming from the twisted atmospheres of the album”.
You can listen to all the singles here and check out the videos below.
Laudans Deum is a haunting and eclectic collection drawing from a rich tapestry of influences ranging from neofolk and dark ambient to death-industrial and the avant-garde.
Aina Virtanen is a classically trained musician with a compelling and unconventional journey. After studying singing, violin, and piano at the prestigious Hanns Eisler Conservatory in Berlin, Virtanen initially dedicated herself to rediscovering the enchanting world of 1920s and 1930s operetta music. However, a period of personal struggle and a two-year hiatus due to hospitalisation led her to seek solace and inspiration in the remote landscapes of Northern Finland.
In 2022, amidst the suggestive atmosphere of lakes and ancient legends, Puppe Magnetik was born.
Following the creation and subsequent destruction of an initial five-track demo, Virtanen has crafted Laudans Deum, an album that showcases her exceptional vocal and technical abilities. The soundscape is vast and traditionally European in its foundation, yet daringly sensational in its execution. Imagine the ethereal beauty of Dead Can Dance meeting the stark intensity of Aghast or This Mortal Coil, all filtered through Virtanen’s singular artistic vision.
Laudans Deum is said to be a disturbing yet beautiful work, blending experimental soundscapes with structured song formats. The lyrics, described as “diamonds among the dark notes”, add another layer of intrigue to this compelling debut. The album strikes a delicate balance between tradition and modernity, creating a listening experience that is both timeless and strikingly contemporary.
Luke Murray, founder of Rune Serpent Europa, said about this album: “The music of Aina Virtanen and her Magnetic Doll has shocked my soul, I immediately understood that it would be a great musical production and that this nun that’s a bit of a witch would find the success she deserved. Her music is extremely technical and the recordings are catacombs, buried in the field. Aina’s dimension is crepuscular, apocalyptic and mystical, but at the same time, blasphemous, hysterical, and sweet.
“Puppe Magnetik was the first emerging band that we contacted as a label because it seemed very similar to the idea of what we wanted to do, producing extreme music while maintaining a high level. Her music is truly powerful and scary and reflects the most classic traditional Nordic and European music of the term mixed with an industrial taste, we could call them celestial guttural voices set in a technically and musically perfect album.”
The album will be available as a limited edition vinyl LP, featuring a standard cover, a 30×30 insert, and a numbered sticker. The pressing will consist of 100 copies on black vinyl and 200 copies on red vinyl.
Tracks featured are: ‘Act. XXII’, ‘The Invisible Garden’, ‘Who Will Sing This Sorrow?’, ‘The Pregnant Nun’, ‘Sospendium, Rosarium Et Crucifixum’, ‘Patient AV’, ‘The Labyrinth’’, Moritat’, ‘Act. XXVII’, ‘Laments From The Desert’, ‘ Inner Light / Outer Protest’, ‘Timeless Serenade’ and ‘Zwischen Licht Und Schatten’ – It can be ordered here.
