"2004 might have to be considered the year of Keijo. While Finnish music certainly came out of its shell this year and garnered international attention, Keijo made the impression on me. Most impressive is the quantity of his output, and the quality of that material. "Soon With the Sun" is his fifth full-length CD-R release this year, and sixth if you include both discs of his double album on PseudoArcana. And amazingly, every one of those releases is gold. I guess when you've been making music for 30 years or so, you get damn good at it. "Soon With the Sun" is no exception to the rule.

Transcendental waves flow through Keijo's music on many levels. On the surface, his music massages your entire body aurally. It gets inside you and relaxes you. It's powerful. But underneath, that where the real magic is happening. Keijo's music is meditative. It lulls you into a trancelike state; a state in which all your senses are heightened and every thing you feel is intensified. It's amazing that he can consistently do this with each new release. It's like there's some spirit channeling itself through Keijo, and his only way to release it into the world is through his music. There's some intrinsically beautiful about that, and it comes out on his releases.

"Soon With the Sun," while similar to previous efforts, has a sound all its own. Keijo is exploring more electronic-based textures on this disc, and it suits him well. On "Sand and Sunshine," we find the perfect mix of these sounds. Underlying electronic drone provides a backdrop for the organic aspect that one has come to expect from much of Keijo's music. Acoustic and chromatic instrumentation combat that gurgling mass that is the foundation for this piece. One gets the feeling of being on the Finnish coast in winter as the freezing waves from the Baltic crashing against jagged, rocky cliffs. There's something naturally powerful happening here, and it draws you in without fail.

"On Ahti's Boat" is the shortest track on this album, but perhaps the most memorable. Keijo uses the subtle sound of water to great effect here. It gives the impression of actually being on a boat. But the reason this track stands out is because we finally get to hear Keijo's voice. I have no idea what he's saying, but he sounds like a person singing about all the great pains of his life. It's wonderful.

Eastern influences are once again speckled throughout. This has become one of the things I love about Keijo's music so much. I've often had this view of Finland as this fantastic combination of East and West, and his music further proves that. The title track offers up the best examples. This excellent track feels like I am walking through the parts of Calcutta that Westerners never experience. Low-level wails sound like a foghorn screaming out, while cymbals and chimes add a chaotic element to the mix. Keijo's music always inspires a wide range of emotions, and "Soon With the Sun" is no exception.

I am beginning to think that Keijo can do no wrong. Everything I hear that he has recorded has moved me. There are few artists that can pull this off, especially in such a profound way. His music is therpeutic and will sooth your aching bones after a long day. Keijo seems like a person who is in a constant state of dreaming. While a lot of electronic-based music feels soulless and hollow, Keijo's will always bee filled with warmth." 8/10 - Brad Rose, FoxyDigitalis