19.06.2023
My new EP Luontotietoisuus (=nature consciousness) is out now on Ydinväki!
You can check it out and read the official description through the links below. I wanted to make this post to talk a bit more in depth about the release as well as future plans.
We started collaboration on the EP’s first track, Itkuvirsi Luonnolle (=lament for nature), with Susi Kankare, when I was approaching ritual folk music singers for collabs on social media 4 years ago. Susi has been initiated into the Karelian tradition of itkuvirsi (lament). It is an improvised singing style where sorrow is channeled and processed through crying and singing. It is typically not accompanied with instruments, but we tried something different this time, as well as a nature conscious approach. I have added English subtitles in the YouTube video below.
The EP’s second track, Oikosulkuun (=into short circuit), was initially set into motion 7 years ago on an idea level. I know Taskumatti from the Tampere underground music scene and we had been talking about making a hardcore + rap collab for a long time when meeting at various events. He was often rapping to drum’n’bass at underground raves, and the track also has influences of various styles played in the Tampere scene. Taskumatti is also very much in tune with nature, which can be heard in the lyrics. I’ll try to arrange an English translation for this one as well.
The third track, Wisdom Keepers of Fire, is the latest collaboration initiated through SoundCloud with Ari Aurelia while I was still looking for more singers for the EP’s concept. The track’s theme was inspired by the Kokko bird in Finnish mythology and dragon in Scottish mythology. Two fire breathing creatures. Her polyphonic singing was again a bit different style and it was a nice creative flow process to mix with hardcore beats.
The last track is a remix of Luonnon Nostatus, which was a collab with Iconobreaker and Samu Kuusisto and you might already know it from the music video. I decided to make a slightly more acoustic version of it under the new alias. Stak Etop was also helping out playing the kantele version of the melody. His mouth harp playing can also be heard in Itkuvirsi Luonnolle.
During the time of making these tracks I was doing various studies, work and trying to find a place in the system. I didn’t have so much time and energy for composing music, but these tracks were the unstoppable nature that was leaking through the rat race. We were also playing more Hiiden Virren Vinguttajat gigs during this time, as it was easier to make time for the improvised process. Now, however, it’s time to start doing some solo gigs again, but this time with live vocal support by friends when possible!
I’m more of a digital artist myself, but I do what I can and I’m also always interested in more collaborations with artists who play or sing folk music of ritualistic nature better than me. Still especially interested in a joiku/yoik collab! 😉
Thanks to everyone involved including the vocalists Susi Kankare, Taskumatti, Ari Aurelia and Samu Kuusisto, Stak Etop for additional instruments, Elina Fiona Art for the cover art and Miika Salo for mastering the release!
Happy solstice time to everyone reading this!
The EP is available at..
Bandcamp:
SoundCloud:
YouTube (I will be adding English translations in captions):
Alternative .mp3 download link.
Alternative .flac download link.