Alexi Tuomarila, Departing the Wasteland Review

Alexi Tuomarila’s Departing the Wasteland: A Reinvention Through Sonic Exploration

By Ferell Aubre

For two decades, Finnish pianist Alexi Tuomarila has forged an unshakable bond with bassist Mats Eilertsen and drummer Olavi Louhivuori, a musical synergy at the core of Departing the Wasteland. This album is a creative rebirth for Tuomarila after years of quietly amassing a reputation as one of Europe’s most compelling pianists, his latest work expands on the trio interplay, embracing electronic textures and expansive orchestration to sculpt an appealing soundscape.

The origins of Departing the Wasteland are rooted in two pivotal experiences: the psychological and artistic reckoning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a symphonic commission that reshaped Tuomarila’s compositional approach. The former compelled him to grapple with isolation, imposter syndrome, and a renewed sense of purpose; the latter challenged him to move beyond head-and-solo conventions toward a more structured, holistic vision of music-making. The result is a project of diverse feels, where distinct orchestrations coexist with spontaneous trio interplay, and where electronics and guest musicians add fresh dimensions to Tuomarila’s sonic palette.

The ensemble on Departing the Wasteland features Tuomarila’s long-standing trio: bassist Mats Eilertsen and drummer Olavi Louhivuori, whose interplay has been honed over two decades of collaboration. Expanding the sonic palette is guitarist André Fernandes, whose electric textures and expressive phrasing push the music into new territories. The album also benefits from an expanded ensemble on select tracks, with Gil Silva on trombone, José Pedro Coelho on tenor saxophone, and João Guimarães on alto saxophone and flute, all adding rich harmonic depth and dynamic contrast.

From the opening notes of Departing the Wasteland, Tuomarila signals his expanded creative range. The piece unfurls with a delicate chordal ostinato, setting the stage for a melody that feels inquisitive and assured. His touch remains light yet expressive, and as the trio builds momentum, layers of synthesizer enter, adding harmonic depth without overwhelming the acoustic core. The electronic elements across the album are used with intention, never as a novelty but as integral orchestrational choices. The underlying pulse of music is the swirling textures that underscore the trio’s telepathic interplay, punctuated by Fernandes’ guitar work.

Fernandes, a Portuguese guitarist whose contributions bring another vital layer to the recording, asserts his presence in a fiery manner on “Gaman” and “Moreeni.” The former begins in familiar Nordic jazz territory—melodically rich yet understated—before Fernandes’ exciting Fusion-inflected guitar lines push the piece into more modernist terrain. The latter is a prime example of the album’s kinetic energy, where Fernandes’ acoustic tone lies somewhere between jazz fusion and contemporary jazz—glides atop Eilertsen’s buoyant bass and Louhivuori’s dynamic rhythmic framework.

Beyond the trio, the expanded ensemble on “Circle” and “August” enriches the sonic colors and energetic developments. The addition of brass and reeds on “Circle” brings out the harmonic depth of the harmonies, creating a lush backdrop for José Pedro Coelho’s fiery tenor sax solo. Tuomarila’s synth solo is particularly striking, balancing a developing improvised story with masterful control. On “August,” the quartet takes center stage once more, and Fernandes’ expressive phrasing melds seamlessly with Tuomarila’s lyrical piano, culminating in a striking display of Nordic jazz expression.

Perhaps the album’s defining quality is its ability to straddle multiple identities—acoustic and electronic, structured and free, personal and universal. It’s an evolution, not an abandonment, of Tuomarila’s previous work. His touch remains unmistakably lyrical, but there’s a newfound urgency in his phrasing, a willingness to embrace contrast and texture in ways that feel like the product of hard-won artistic clarity. “Aether” encapsulates this best—short, sonorous, and deeply affecting, it distills the album’s themes of transformation and renewal into a single, fleeting moment of beauty.

With Departing the Wasteland, Alexi Tuomarila delivers a project that places him as one of the most forward-thinking pianists of his generation. The chemistry within his trio remains unparalleled, but his embrace of broader orchestrational and electronic possibilities makes this album stand out. It’s an album that reflects resilience, reinvention, and the power of musical dialogue—a work that rewards engaged listening.