Islaja is Merja Kokkonen, a young visual artist and musician based in Helsinki, Finland. She has discretely become one of the few figures hiding behind the recent fad of "folk weirdness" being part of a somehow communal move of a "Finnish psychedelia" spreading its wings within the underground sounds over the last two years. Her latest album - which she will be launching in London - reflects a thorough mixture of accumulated musical backgrounds and influences. This will be her second London show - after last year’s show the same Church, joined by Jukka Raisanen on bass, a member of Kiila and Avarus along with his own solo project Sala-Arhimo. Islaja has just released her new album Ulual Yyy on Fonal records and a live cd "Blaze Mountain Recordings" will follow on Thurston Moore’s label Ecstatic Peace late 2007. She will be joined by Jukka.

"Her voice brings to mind a young, clear-eyed Nico, and one can't help but be instantly transported by the reflective, endlessly intoxicating depths of Islaja's tranquil Arctic hymn." Pitchfork Media

"At points both vocals intersect to powerful effect, an invigorating verbal anarchy that makes for some delicious smears of pure sound, while the muzzy use of harpsichord, accordion, organ and harmonica works to encase the later tracks in a coat of warm, damp moss" The Wire