Elonkorjaajat Exhibition in Tammisaari

Olli Lyytikäinen: Flygande Hamlet ("Flying Hamlet", 1976)


Elonkorjaajat ("Harvesters") was an artist group who started in Helsinki in 1971. Inspired by the underground movement of the day, the members of Elonkorjaajat featured such people as Pekka Airaksinen, J.O. Mallander and Peter Widén who were also part of The Sperm, a controversial music and performance group. Elonkorjaajat -- whose artistic range encompassed conceptual art, earth art, installations, performance and media art -- ran in Helsinki a gallery called Cheap Thrills (the name inspired by a Frank Zappa record of the same name). Finnish Green movement had its origins in the activities of the vegetarian restaurant Kasvis, run by some Elokorjaajat members who, alongside conceptual art and underground music & culture, embraced such interests as Zen Buddhism and macrobiotic diet.

The works of Elonkorjaajat can now been seen at the summer exhibition (29 May - 13 September 2009) taking place in the Elverket gallery of Tammisaari; featuring Airaksinen, Carolus Enckell, Antero Kare, Philip von Knorring, Mallander, Carl-Erik Ström, Ilkka Juhani Takalo-Eskola, Erik Uddström, Widén and Stuart Wrede. Also Olli Lyytikäinen who died in 1987 is featured with one piece.

Exhibition reviews in Finnish:

Helsingin Sanomat

Turun Sanomat

Uusi Suomi

Elonkorjaajat info in Finnish:

Kisko-Seura

Mustekala.Info

Skenet

Video clips:

Olli Lyytikäinen @ Yle Elävä Arkisto

J.O. Mallander @ Yle Elävä Arkisto

See also:

FinnScene: The Early Years @ pHinnWeb

Lucio Capece & Mika Vainio: Trahnie (CD)

Artist: Lucio Capece & Mika Vainio
Title: Trahnie
Format: CD
Cat.no.: eMEGO 098
Label: Editions Mego (Austria)
Date: 2 March 2009

Tracklist:

1. Ujellus
2. Juurake
3. Escapes
4. Hondonada
5. Valontuo
6. Hobojungle
7. Ahuyenta Temores
8. Sahalaitainen
9. Tolmavuo
10. Sigilo
11. Mañana

Length: 59:15

Credits:

Lucio Capece: Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Preparations, Mixer-Sax Feedback, Sruti Box
Mika Vainio: Electronics and Treatments, Electric Guitar, Cymbal

Recorded in Berlin 2006-2008
Artwork: Tina Frank

Press release notes from Editions Mego:

On first glance Lucio Capece and Mika Vainio seem unlikely partners. Two standard bearers at opposing poles of extremity, both sonically and geographically. Lucio from Argentina and rooted in a traditions of jazz and Improv, while Mika hailing from Finland sourced in early 90s electronic and Industrial scenes.

However, they both share an alarming attention to detail when it comes to their audio compositions, and neither are afraid of pushing boundaries of abstraction to the limit. With this in mind its with great pleasure that Editions Mego issues their first album as a duo. Recorded over a 2 year period in Berlin (their common chosen home), its as startling as it is visceral. Delicate as it is extreme. Huge blasting slabs of concrete sax geometrically oppose sonic taps of electronic sound, which bring about a fascinating sound palette.

The opening ‘Ujellus’ is both piercing and soothing; ‘Juurake’ combines pure sweat with cold emotion; tense environmental scrapes flesh out on ‘Ahuyenta Temores’. From the pounding machinist overdrive on ‘ Tolmavuo’ to the poignant melancholy of ‘Mañana’.

Its all here.

Album info & soundfiles @ Editions Mego

Pan sonic vs. Keiji Haino: Shall I Download A Black Hole And Offer It To You (live album, Blast First Petite)

Pan Sonic vs Keiji Haino @ Volksbuhne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin, 15 November 20007


Keiji Haino, Mika Vainio, Ilpo Väisänen & Keiichiro Shibuya: an impromptu gig at Super Deluxe club, Tokyo


ATAK 011 LIVE DVD ATAK NIGHT 3: Pan sonic, Keiichiro Shibuya, Goem, evala, Keiji Haino

See also: Another clip of Pan Sonic & Keiji Haino @ Volksbühne Berlin 15.11.2007

Info from Blast First Petite:

COMING IN EARLY 2009

PANSONIC VS KEIJI HAINO
2008 Live Album "Shall I download a black hole and offer it to you"
PTYT 014 Date TBC

Pan sonic vs. Keiji Haino in Berlin (15 November 2007)

Pan Sonic Vs. Erkki Kurenniemi

Pan Sonic + Carl Michael von Hausswolff + Erkki Kurenniemi -- live @ Kiasma theatre, Helsinki, Finland, Part 1 (21 November 2002)

[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Pan sonic performing Erkki Kurenniemi-designed DIMI instruments from the 1970s with Kurenniemi and Carl Michael von Hausswolff.

Info @ Avanto Festival 2002 | Image gallery

FinnScene: Early Years of Finnish Electronic Music @ pHinnWeb

N&B Research Digest News

Alexei Borisov & Matterlink ("Eyeing Sound" project)

From N&B Research Digest label:

N&B Research Digest has three wonderful archival releases out now as digital downloads

Swissair: "15. joulukuuta 1981"

”15. joulukuuta 1981” (”December 15th, 1981”) was recorded during one afternoon in Helsinki and first released as a cassette in early 1982. At this point the six 16-year old members of Swissair, whose earlier music had been inspired by punk and new wave groups like PiL, Wire, Chrome and MX-80 Sound, were becoming acquainted with the history of avant-garde music and immediately started experimenting with its ideas while having practically no traditional playing skills at all. At least Anton Webern’s music in which "silences matter as much as sounds" was discussed before pressing the rec button and starting to improvise... READ MORE and LISTEN TO PREVIEWS: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/15

Jungle: "Live in Leningrad"

Jungle was formed in 1983 in Leningrad Rock Club’s new wave milieu, continuing a local tradition of giving groups names that had to with animals and domestication. Jungle was an exception among Aquarium, Zoo and other prominent underground groups in Leningrad in another respect: its music was purely instrumental and the musicians cited European ”avant-progressive” Rock In Opposition musicians and American proponents of Ornette Coleman’s harmolodics as their influences instead of The Velvet Underground or British new wave groups... READ MORE and LISTEN TO PREVIEWS: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/leningrad

F.R.U.I.T.S.: "Studio Recordings Vol. 1"

F.R.U.I.T.S. is a duo formed by Alexei Borisov and Pavel Zhagun in Moscow in 1992. Borisov had started in the early 1980’s as a guitarist in Centre, the very first Russian new wave band, and later formed his own experimental group Notchnoi Prospekt. Zhagun’s background was quite different: he had been a brass player in the touring group of Soviet Union’s biggest pop star, Alla Pugachova, and wrote lyrics for her and other so-called "official" pop stars, but gradually turned into an enthusiast of contemporary academic composition. Together Borisov and Zhagun started to make hypnotic, musique concrète-inspired pieces on samplers, and theoretised about concepts like optical sounds, "reframing", "noise reconstruction" and ”no music”... READ MORE and LISTEN TO PREVIEWS: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/studio

All our download albums are available both as best-quality mp3's (for the tech-oriented: LAME/extreme quality, no copy protection) and, at a slightly higher price, as lossless flac files (= CD quality).

ELSEWHERE ON THE NET Alexei Borisov & Anton Nikkilä have a track called "Pink Bread" on the download-only compilation "Sound Canvas 1 - Compilation of sound art, minimal and improvised music" made available for free by Moscow's Mikroton label and featuring Alva Noto, Frank Bretschneider, Lawrence English and many others: http://www.mikroton.net/md1.html

Anton Nikkilä has also contributed a track entitled "Lasijauholaivakeikka Revisited" on the free download-only compilation "Fifteen Sounds of the War on the Poor, Vol. 1" released by the Los Angeles-based Public Record and featuring Ultra-red, Terre Thaemlitz, Alejandra and Aeron, Christopher DeLaurenti, and more: http://publicrec.org/archive/2-06/2-06-002/2-06-002.html

NEW ITEMS IN OUR OWN WEBSHOP include the Lithuanian compilation "Un/Typical" (featuring Alexei Borisov & Anton Nikkilä), the Slovenian compilation "Fabriksampler V2" (featuring Alexei Borisov & Tania Stene) and the album "M S :4" by the Moscow group Rivushiye struny. Read more about them on our website: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com.


With best seasonal wishes, hyvää joulua & с наступающими праздниками!

Anton Nikkilä
Alexei Borisov
NBRD

Kirlian Crossing: Repeat and Repeat Vol. 4

Kirlian Crossing: 'Distance' (2006)

Kirlian Crossing is a Finnish act comprising at the moment Ilai Rämä (also of Siniaalto fame), Teemu Sinkko, JP Linna and Jussi Miettola. Inspired by Kirlian photography, they claim "the original idea was to combine acoustic folk songs into Soviet Union era science fiction in Tarkovsky spirit", "building microphones and effects", using "Soviet-made technology and Russian microphones" and "we've gone by channeling sessions, books, cinema. Eventually we've counterfeited UFO footage and looked the world through pinhole cameras. We are the chance of a dog wandering into the scene in Stalker". You can see their spooky Kirlian and pinhole photographs at their gallery.

Repeat and Repeat Vol. 4 by Kirlian Crossing in their series of Net releases is out now at:

http://www.verdurarecords.com/kirliancrossing/repeat.htm

From Kirlian Crossing:

In the repeat there's quiet, developing change. Hopefully the changing never stops.

This is our fourth series of downloadable records containing improvisations by Kirlian Crossing. (You'll find previous ones on the release series page). This series will contain nine volumes, released on the 2nd of each month until May 2009.

You can download three types of .zip files:

'wav', which is a .zip package including .wav files for cd-r burning, .mp3 files for free internet distribution and a printable cd-r cover (.pdf). 'mp3', which is a .zip package including the music in mp3-format 'cover', which is a .zip package including a printable cd-r cover 'torrent', which includes the same as 'wav'-package.

The Sperm: Shh! Re-Release on De Stijl

(A scan taken from a copy belonging or having belonged to Heikki Harma a.k.a. Hector...?)

Artist: The Sperm
Title: Shh!
Format: 12" vinyl LP
Cat.no.: IND 039 (original: ORLP 0)
Label: De Stijl Records (original: O Records)
Year: 1970 (original) / 2008 (re-release)

Tracklist:

A1. Heinäsirkat ("Locusts")
A2. Korvapoliklinikka Hesperia ("Ear Clinic Hesperia")
B1. Jazz, Jazz
B2. Dodekafoninen Talvisota ("Dodecaphonic Winter War")

De Stijl label announces a vinyl re-release of Shh!, the heavily collected 1970 album of Helsinki's controversial experimental improvisational/performance act The Sperm, originally out on the band's own O Records and featuring in its line-up such people as Pekka Airaksinen (known also for many solo albums now enjoying an international cult reputation), Jan-Olof Mallander (nowadays an art critic) and Mattijuhani Koponen (a poet/actor and the most notorious member of the band, who had a prison sentence after having a performance of a simulated sexual intercourse on a grand piano). Also guitarist Vladimir "Nikke" Nikamo, who had a brief stint in early Wigwam, participated in the compositions of this album.

Press release notes from De Stilj:

"soon forthcoming is a totally legit LP only reissue of this amazing Helsinki monsterpiece from 1970. Shh! is primarily a document of Pekka Airaksinen's experimental compostions, consisting of primitive samples, guitar loop feedback and musique concrete.

Sperm also functioned as a wildly theatrical live act ala Dionysis in '69, that would arrange underground happenings, occasionally inspiring a rallied public outcry against the derisive act of public sex atop a grand piano.

ooh la la..."

FinnScene - The Early Years of Finnish Electronic & Avantgarde Music @ pHinnWeb

'Carnival of Light' by The Beatles Finally To Be Released?

The Beatles: 'Revolution 9' (1968)

Paul McCartney on 'Carnival of Light' @ CNN (16 November 2008)

By its written description sounding perhaps like something in the style of infamous 'Revolution No. 9' off White Album (and the sound experiments John Lennon made with Yoko Ono), the unreleased 14-minute track 'Carnival of Light' by The Beatles, recorded in their psychedelic period of 1967, has become something of a myth among the fans and collectors. The track's release was planned for The Beatles Anthology 2 of 1996, but George Harrison (who died in 2001) vetoed it (some sources say the producer George Martin was not so hot of the idea, either).

[fwd] call for materials: web portal for finnish experimental art

Charm of Sound @ Kantis, Helsinki, 3 May 2008

I picked this up from ooooo mailing list (a Finnish list concentrating on experimental, improvisation, psychedelic/forest folk, free jazz and other leftfield music genres), thinking this project might be of interest to some readers of this blog. If you want to contribute, contact rrepeatt[at]gmail.com ...

[Forwarded message]

call for materials: web portal for finnish experimental art

Posted by: "pleaserepeat" rrepeatt[at]gmail.com
Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:21 pm (PST)

dear all,

i am setting up a database / portal for Finnish experimental music and sound art. the site will feature detailed artist profiles, along with a calendar of upcoming concerts, links to relevant resources, record labels, organisations etc. although the focus is on music and sound, experimental artists working in other medias are also welcome. the aim is to provide a centralised internet presence for the experimental community, to document the scope of experimental art activities in Finland, and to encourage networking between artists of similar interests both nationally and internationally.

if you have worked in experimental music / sound / other art for some time, live and work currently or mainly in Finland, and are interested in participating, feel free to supply materials (in Finnish or English) to: rrepeatt[at]gmail.com.

please note that while people from all backgrounds (academic, underground, etc.) are welcome, some measure of established position is required for inclusion at least for the time being. otherwise the website will be neutral and objective, and only materials supplied by the artists themselves will be published. no profiles will be added without explicit participation from the artists themselves.

necessary information:
- name / name of project, group, members etc.
- year of birth / foundation
- location
- contact information (e-mail, official website)
- trade (composer, musician, director, etc)
- main instruments / tools (if applicable)
- background (possible education, etc.)
- close collaborators, group affiliations (for linking to other artists)
- short description of main interests
- longer description of interests/aims/ intent (important!)

optional materials:
- photograph(s)
- work history (discography etc.)
- sound / video clips (in compressed format)
- press clippings (scanned or typed)

please feel free to forward this invitation to possibly interested parties.
thank you!

[End of forwarded message]

Another blog on Finnish experimental music just found: Äänellä (in Finnish)...

Films by Guy Debord & Ken Jacobs @ Avanto Festival 2008

Guy Debord: La Société du spectacle (Society of the Spectacle), 1973 (Part 1 of 9) [2/9] [3/9] [4/9] [5/9] [6/9] [7/9] [8/9] [9/9]


Interview with Ken Jacobs, Part 1 [Part 2]

Avanto festival 2008 in Helsinki this month will feature among all short films from Guy Debord and Ken Jacobs. The full schedule coming soon, check the festival site for more info.

Sadly, this ninth annual Avanto festival will also be the last one, as Helsingin Sanomat informs. I participated myself in 2001 as a DJ to this event, which has every November combined avantgarde film and live performances from experimental music acts around the world, and I think this will leave a large gap to Finnish cultural life.

Aton Flexi Disc

"Aikamme musiikkiin kuuluu atonaalisuus, se kumoaa käsitykset sävelten suhteista. Aton on uudistaja, aurinko, voima. Elämme atonaalista, uutta ja uudistuvaa aikaa."

This interesting curio just got into pHinnWeb's attention. A flexi disc perhaps from the late 70s or early 80s, advertising Nokia Cable Factory's Aton cables and featuring various appropriately electronic atonal sounds and some generic disco.

Listen to it here.

Avarus September 2008 US Tour Video Clips

Avarus live @ the Beach House, Pleasant Beach, NJ, 1 Sep '08


Avarus live @ Cakeshop, NYC, 6 Sep '08, Part 1

Avarus live @ Cakeshop, NYC, 6 Sep '08, Part 2

Avarus live @ Cakeshop, NYC, 6 Sep '08, Part 3

More Avarus search results @ YouTube

And also: Avarus live @ Death by Audio, Brooklyn, 6 Sep '08.

Furthermore, Avarus recorded on 7 September a live session at WFMU, which will be out later on.

Avarus @ Wikipedia

Mika Vainio Covers Kate Bush

After a cover version of Pink Floyd's 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun' for his Oleva album, Mika Vainio of Pan sonic goes on with some surprising cover choices, this time rendering a version of 'Running Up That Hill' by Kate Bush (originally on her excellent 1985 Hounds of Love album).

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Recovery
Format: 10 x 7" boxset (limited edition of 500, 45 RPM)
Cat.no: FRACT 01
Label: Fractured Recordings (UK)
Date: 1 September 2008

Tracklist:

1. BJ Nilsen: Heart And Soul
2. People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz: Mull Of Kintyre
3. Christian Fennesz: Hunting High And Low
4. :zoviet*france: Bomber
4. Ryoji Ikeda: Back In Black
6. Mika Vainio: Running Up That Hill
7. Robert Henke: Lucifer
8. Susan Stenger: My Sharona
9. Jenny Hoyston's Paradise Island: Dream Tree
10. Alva Noto: Planet Rock
11. Matmos: C•30 C•60 C•90 Go
12. Barbara Morgenstern: Temptation
13. Carter Tutti: Lucifer Sam
14. Robert Lippok Featuring Caroline Thorpe: Freedom!
15. Snd: Billie Jean
16. Richard Chartier & CoH: Bleak Is My Favourite Cliché
17. Momus & Germlin: Ashes To Ashes
18. Jason Forrest: Dark Love
19. J.G. Thirlwell: Warm Leatherette
20. Jóhann Jóhannsson: Souvenir

Press release notes:

"Recovery: a collector’s limited edition vinyl box set of 20 cover versions by 20 seminal electronic musicians and composers.

Release date: 1 September 2008, Fractured Recordings

Recovery is the result of an invitation to a group of leading electronic artists to create a cover version of a song from the past that holds a particular significance to them. The outcome is an extraordinary and unexpected series of tributes and appropriations of classic hits from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, recorded by artists renowned for their inimitable style and seminal contribution to contemporary musical innovation. Published as a numbered limited edition of 500, this collectors’ box set contains 10 double A side 7”s, alongside unique cover designs by artist Graham Dolphin.

Recovery presents new works by Richard Chartier and CoH, Fennesz, Jason Forrest, Robert Henke, Jenny Hoyston’s Paradise Island, Ryoji Ikeda, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Robert Lippok feat. Caroline Thorpe, Momus and Germlin, Matmos, Barbara Morgenstern, BJNilsen, Alva Noto, People Like Us and Ergo Phizmiz, snd, Susan Stenger, J.G.Thirlwell, Carter Tutti, Mika Vainio, and :Zoviet*france:

Recovery features Ryoji Ikeda paying tribute to AC/DC with his own version of 'Back in Black', Fennesz covering A-ha’s mid 80’s hit 'Hunting High and Low', alva noto revisiting 'Planet Rock' by Afrika Bambataa and Robert Lippok creating a compelling version of Wham’s unforgettable 'Freedom! ’90'. This remarkable collection of tracks reveals the surprising and seemingly incongruous relationships that often exist between these artists’ earliest musical inspirations and their own unique current practices. The project is also a genuine tribute to the tradition of vinyl, the medium upon which so many of these tracks would have originally been experienced.

The box set design by Graham Dolphin - an artist renowned for his own poignant re-appropriations of the objects and icons of the fashion and music industries - presents a unique series of covers of cover versions, incorporating playful re-workings of each of the 20 tracks’ original cover designs.

Available exclusively through www.fracturedrecordings.com

Mastered by Rashad Becker at Dubplates and Mastering, Berlin."

Release info @ Discogs

Erikoisdance 9 review @ The Wire

Helsinki's Erikoismies gets a mention at The Wire:




And also something related...

http://www.mustakirahvi.net/musik/musta_kesa_megamix.mp3

DJ Müsta Kirahvi
"Müsta Kesä 3008 Megamix" (28:52 min)

-Chuck Norris
-Black Devil
-Goat Dance
-Jorma Kalenius
-X2
-Dave Powell
-Link Wray
-Panjabi MC
-Loudon Wainwright III
-MMM
-Depeche Mode
-James Cotton
-Vesa Enne
-[?]

Ø (Mika Vainio): Oleva

Helsinki's Sähkö Recordings announces a new Ø (pronounced "Ohm") album, called Oleva ("The Existing"), from Mika Vainio (Pan sonic); somewhat surprisingly including a cover version of 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun' (note: the track is credited on the sleeve as "Set the Controls to the Heart of the Sun"), a track from Pink Floyd's second album Saucerful of Secrets (1968)!

Cat.no.: SÄHKÖ-023
Artist: Ø
Title: Oleva
Format: 2x12"/CD
Release date: July 2008
Produced by: Mika Vainio

Tracklist:

1. Unien holvit
2. S-bahn
3. Set the Controls to the Heart of the Sun
4. Frekvenssi
5. Loihdittu
6. Vastus
7. U-bahn
8. Koituva
9. Mojave
10. Tasanko
11. Kausaaliton
12. Muistetun palaava taajuus

Credits:

All tracks by Mika Vainio except 3 by Roger Waters
Recorded in Berlin 2007-2008
Photographs by Mika Vainio
Graphics by Tommi Grönlund
Mastered by Denis Blackham at Skye Mastering
Cut by Rashad Becker at D&M

Info @ Sähkö Recordings

Reviews:

The Silent Ballet

China Life, The Latest Short Film by Tina Ulevik (Spul Films Australia)

Tina Ulevik: China Life (2008)

Tina Ulevik of Spul Films Australia -- who created the music video for Kompleksi's 'Sara Pain' in 2007 -- has her latest short film finally finished and online, describing it as follows:

"Filmed on location in Suzhou & Shanghai, China, & accompanied by music from Finland's Since November, China Life explores glimpses of China seen through the eyes of a foreign traveller evoking the surreal landscapes of ancient & modern China. The film also acts as a metaphor for searching & belonging."

Also by Tina Ulevik:

'Xenophobic Site' (2006)

Spul Films Australia MySpace site has more short films by Tina

Maanalaista menoa - Finnish Underground 1967 - 1971

The notorious Mattijuhani Koponen performing with The Sperm, 1968

I missed the documentary series Maanalaista menoa (might translate as something like "Underground Happenings") on Finnish underground culture approximately during the years 1967-1971 (and beyond) when the digital channel YLE Teema showed it for the first time around last year, but gladly they now re-run it. You can also find the holy video and audio scrolls relating to the subject at YLE Elävä Arkisto archive:

http://www.yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=h&n=maanalaista+menoa&k=&m=

More:

FinnScene - The Early Years @ pHinnWeb

Pekka Airaksinen and Ponytail Albums on N&B Research Digest

From N&B Research Digest:

N&B Research Digest presents two new albums

Pekka Airaksinen (b. 1945) is best known as the musical mastermind behind the Finnish ultra-radical and scandalous performance group/proto-noise band The Sperm of the late 1960’s. During the new millenium he has also acquired international recognition as an early pioneer of electronic experimental music. On his new album "Mahagood" Airaksinen turns to his first musical loves – electronic music of the 1950’s and jazz – as sources for sampling. The result is an improvisatory collage in which his synthetic sound of recent years combines organically with layers of history.

You can listen to previews at:
http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/mahagood

Simultaneously N&B Research Digest re-releases the 2003 double-CD compilation "Madam I'm Adam" produced for Love Records as a download-only album. The compilation has one CD’s worth of Airaksinen’s work from 1968–2003 plus the same compositions remixed by Nurse With Wound (his first champion outside of Finland), Mira Calix, Philipp Quehenberger, Curd Duca, Simon Wickham-Smith, Es, Notchnoi Prospekt, Anton Nikkilä, and others. ”Madam I’m Adam delivers on its stated goals: a reasonably priced introduction to the history and continued influence of one of the underground’s most unique bodies of work.” (Jonathan Dean, Brainwashed, USA)

Ponytail aka Samuli Tanner is one of the bright young talents of Helsinki’s musical underground and is internationally probably best known as one half of the dubstep production team Clouds. Ponytail’s music could be called experimental dubstep or hip hop, but one that’s infused with a refined anti-musicianship and roughness that has similarities with Pekka Airaksinen's approach. In Ponytail’s case the resistance to commercial slickness originates in punk rock and Finnish agrarian folk music. Samuli spent most of his teens in punk groups, and he says that his music’s out-of-tuneness and wayward rhythms have first of all to do with punk spirit, but also the traditional ”pelimanni spirit” of Finnish folk music – Tanner’s family has spawned folk musicians for several generations. Charles Mingus and other jazz innovators of the past are sources of inspiration as well, and another trait shared with Pekka Airaksinen is the way both musicians borrow elements and sample liberally from an eclectic variety of electronic genres, but without paying dues to the conventions and meanings of the originals, which results in shockingly new and personal music.

Listen to previews of Ponytail's "Themes For Cops":

http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/themes

"Themes For Cops" and Pekka Airaksinen’s "Mahagood" are released as download-only albums by N&B Research Digest, but small CD-R print runs will be produced for the album launch concert held in Helsinki’s Lepakkomies club on June 10th. Other acts of the evening are Pasilian savut, whose live album will be released by NBRD in August, and DJ Anton Nikkilä.

More information:

http://www.nbresearchdigest.com

---

And:

N&B Research Digest järjestää Pekka Airaksisen ja Ponytailin uusien albumien julkaisukonsertin:
Release party for the new albums of Pekka Airaksinen and Ponytail:

Esiintyjät / Performers:
Pekka Airaksinen
Ponytail
Pasilian savut
DJ Anton Nikkilä

Liput 5 euroa / Tickets 5 euros

Tiistaina 10.6. klo 21 alkaen, ravintola Lepakkomies, Helsinginkatu 1 (”Piritorina” tunnetun Vaasanaukion laidalla, Sörnäisten metroaseman vieressä)
Tuesday 10 June, doors 9 pm, at Lepakkomies, Helsinginkatu 1, Helsinki (by Vaasanaukio, next to Sörnäinen tube station)

Pekka Airaksinen (s. 1945) tunnetaan suomalaisen 60-luvun undergroundin radikaaleimpiin ilmentymiin kuuluneen The Sperm -yhtyeen musiikillisena johtajana ja viime vuosina myös kansainvälistä tunnustusta saaneena kokeellisen musiikin pioneerina. Nyt julkaistava "Mahagood"-albumi aloittaa uuden vaiheen hänen urallaan. Airaksinen palaa ensimmäisten musiikillisten rakkauksiensa, jazzin ja 50-luvun elektronimusiikin pariin ja improvisoi niiden pohjalta kiihkeän sample-kollaasin, jossa hänen hänen 2000-luvun synteettinen saundinsa yhdistyy orgaanisesti historian kerroksiin. Airaksinen on viimeksi esiintynyt Helsingissä soolona vuoden 2003 Avanto-festivaalilla.

Näytteitä "Mahagoodilta" voi kuunnella osoitteessa: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/mahagood

N&B Research Digest julkaisee samalla mp3-muodossa Love Recordsin kanssa yhteistyössä tuotetun "Madam I'm Adam" -kokoelma-tupla-CD:n, joka esittelee Airaksisen musiikkia vuosilta 1968–2003. Oleellinen osa Airaksisen ainutlaatuisesta tuotannosta, jonka harvinaisuuksia myydään nettihuutokaupoissa sadoilla euroilla, tulee näin ensi kertaa maailmanlaajuisesti saataville iTunesiin, Amazoniin ja muihin nettikauppoihin englantilaisen jakelufirma Diogenes Musicin kautta.

Ponytail eli Samuli Tanner (s. 1982) on Helsingin ”bassomusiikki”-skenen lupaavimpia nimiä: Tannerin ja Tommi Liikan dubstep-projekti Clouds on levyttänyt Englannissa ja Yhdysvalloissa ja keikkailee maailmalla. Hänen soolotuotantonsa, esimerkiksi nyt julkaistava Ponytailin nettialbumi "Themes For Cops", on kuitenkin ilmeisessä hengenheimolaissuhteessa Pekka Airaksisen rinnakkaismaailman kanssa. Jazz-klassikko Charles Mingusin diggailun ohella yhteistä näille tekijöille on häikäilemätön tapa käyttää elementtejä monista eri musiikinlajeista, kuten kokeellisesta hip hopista tai electronicasta (Ponytailin tapauksessa esimerkiksi Spectreltä tai Autechreltä) välittämättä vähääkään niihin alunperin liittyneistä konventioista ja merkityksistä, mistä on tuloksena täysin persoonallista ja shokeeraavan uutta musiikkia. Jos Airaksisella sävellysten kulmikkuus ja soiton hienostunut epämuusikkous ilmaisee 60-luvun undergroundin ylenkatsetta kaupallisesti sliipattua ilmaisua kohtaan, niin Ponytaililla ne ovat peräisin punkista ja suomalaisesta kansanmusiikista. Samuli on soittanut eniten juuri punkkia, ja hän sanoo, että Ponytailin epävireisyys ja rytminen holtittomuus on ennen kaikkea punk-henkeä. Toisaalta hän kutsuu sitä myös pelimannimeiningiksi, joka kulkee suvussa: Tannerit ovat useamman sukupolven ajan olleet kansanmuusikoita.

Näytteitä "Themes For Copsilta" voi kuunnella osoitteessa: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/themes

"Themes For Cops" on Tannerin ensimmäinen laajempaan kansainväliseen levitykseen tarkoitettu soolotuotos. Sekä Pekka Airaksisen "Mahagood"-nettialbumista että "Themes for Copsista" teetetään julkaisukonserttia varten pieni CD-R-painos.

Tapahtuman kolmas esiintyjä, sykähdyttävänä livebändinä tunnettu Pasilian savut tuo ”grungejazzillaan” oman rock-näkökulmansa illan löyhästi muodostuneeseen teemaan. Yhteistä Airaksisen ja Ponytailin kanssa on paljonkin – omalakisuudesta, antimuusikko-asenteesta ja alleviivaamattomasta huumorista alkaen – mutta erojen löytäminen ja niistä riemuitseminen jääköön yleisön tehtäväksi. N&B Research Digest julkaisee elokuussa Pasilian savujen livealbumin.

Juhlakansaa viihdyttää lisäksi DJ Anton Nikkilä, joka pyörittää N&B Research Digestia yhdessä moskovalaisen Alexei Borisovin kanssa.

Lisätietoa:

http://www.nbresearchdigest.com

Pekka Airaksinen info @ Avanto

Pekka Airaksinen biography @ Dharmakustannus

Pekka Airaksinen @ Yle Elävä Arkisto

Pekka Airaksinen @ Wikipedia

Pekka Airaksinen @ Finnish Wikipedia

Some Pekka Airaksinen & Sperm info @ pHinnWeb: Early Years of Finnish Electronic & Avantgarde Scene

Erikoisdance 9

Forwarded message from Erikoismies a.k.a. Tom Backström a.k.a. Musta Kirahvi:

ERIKOISDANCE 9
ERIKOISMIES "CDR TRACKS" (CDr)

More drum machines. More arpeggiators. More random fuzzy logic melodies. More preset Roland sounds. More compression. More dynamics. More of that friendly home-made hiss and mains hum we all love so much... 7 new Erikoismies tracks with more of absolutely everything!
Includes exclusive Poly-T edit.

RELEASE DATE
April 1, 2008

FILE UNDER
electronics, post-house, synthesizer/drum machine music, outsider dance, techno, electro etc.

BUY IT
- from the Ektro Records web store
- from the Myymälä 2 gallery shop, Uudenmaankatu 23, 00100 Helsinki
- or order a copy by sending us a message via the myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/erikoismies

SOUND CLIPS
CDR Track I
CDR Track II
CDR Track III
CDR Track IV (Poly-T edit)
CDR Track V
CDR Track VI
CDR Track VII

Erikoismies plays at Musa Setting 0002 club in Kantis, Helsinki, Finland, 12 May 2007


Erikoismies plays at Boring as Fuck club in Kantis, Helsinki, 10 November 2007

See also:

Musta Kirahvi (including Tom's graphics)

Musti Laiton: Megacity Chillout

Roope Seppälä, Ville Pitkänen and Reima Tuovinen from Helsinki are the experimental/electronic/ambient act Musti Laiton (translates as "Blackie Lawless", as with the vocalist of the 1980s notorious glam-metal act W.A.S.P.), who have released a new album, Megacity Chillout. Responsible for the album's cover art is the legendary Läjä Äijälä (of Terveet Kädet/Billy Boys/Leo Bugariloves/Sultans fame). The album is released under Creative Commons licence 2.5. and is available as a free of charge Web release and CD release (TEMMI-0005).

Tracklist:

01 Expanding fintelligent design
02 Crazy snake
03 In this cave we have lived
04 Megacity nights
05 Now gimme vocals
06 Megacity chillout
07 Tunnelma pilalla

Listen to Musti Laiton @ MySpace