Out of Touch lacks the bite of Jaakko Eino Kalevi's best work

There’s always been an appealingly odd corniness to Kalevi’s music, but Out of Touch lacks the bite present on previous records. This easy-listening schtick makes sense with the backstory of the record – that millennial classic of switching off your phone in favour of “real” human interaction – but it suffers when stretched over a 40 minute set. A smooth, bland sheen coats the entire thing, and on most of the tracks Kalevi’s vocals are incomprehensible.

First single “Emotions in Motion” is a standout: its kooky, aloof charm is matched with discernable lyrics, and a hook that much of the record lacks. The blissed-out synths of “This World” and “Outside” would be welcome downtime amongst punchier surrounds. The outright corniness of some of the tracks – the steel drums of “Night Chef”, the softened yacht-rock of “Conceptual Mediterranean (Part 1)” – test the listener’s patience. Ultimately the purposeful superficiality of Out of Touch renders it inessential.