2026 is shaping up to be a banner year for instro, and one of the things that makes that possible is not just releases from established surf acts, but breakout LPs from relative unknowns. For example, the debut LP from Finland's The Cruel Seals, who I otherwise only had heard a live EP from in 2022, and I had misread their name to match the song popularized by The Ventures (though originally by The Dakotas).
The seals have a somewhat non-standard quintet setup of guitar, keys, bass, drums, and fifth member in charge of extra percussion and electronics, though the way it plays out is pretty accessible and unstrange. For the large part, their sound is about guitar and keys, which frequently cede attention to the other despite being somewhat at odds -- the guitar anthemic and daring, keys lighthearted and quirky. It works better than it should! For instance, "Cecilia Ann" is a great example of their guitar's style... but it stands out less since most of us would be familiar with the song. It's the swirling keys, often taking over after the main riff, that bring a unique spin to it.
Much like how so many bands near Alabama have a tinge of Man or Astro-Man picked up from the water supply, so many Finnish groups invite comparison to Laika and the Cosmonauts, and while The Cruel Seals wouldn't be mistaken for them, they share not only a keyboard focus but a feeling of wondrous curiosity. This is not only in the general vibe, but a sense of experimentation. The whole album has a dusting of Old West to it, but in an oblique manner, with the last few tracks turning a bit more psychedelic, and the second song indulging lightly in dub. Which is perfectly suited to the sound of their bass, which hums at a low and wide end of the spectrum, nowhere near guitar, ramping up the intensity of each track.
The whole album is very listenable the whole way through, but I do tend to gravitate (on this album and in general) towards more anthemic tracks like the opener "Thunder Bay Storm", "Black Falcon", and perhaps the most gunslingery, "Il Giardino delle delizie". But it's also so fun to hear them stretch out on tracks like "Spook Walk" or hear some brass on "The Incredible Adventure of Jorma O'Connor".
What is an adventure anyway? I think it's a challenging and exciting foray into a series of unknown trials (I'm not going to pull a "Websters Dictionary defines adventure as..." on you). Would I say this album is an adventure? Absolutely. It confidently adapts and switches position, keeping you on your toes. This debut proves the Cruel Seals not only to be creative, but capable and versatile.
It's on bandcamp, and it appears that there's vinyl copies based on social media, but not sure if you can find one outside of a record store in Finland.
