London based Nordic website and music night ‘Ja Ja Ja’ celebrated its third birthday at The Lexington in Islington with the first live performance outside Finland of SIN COS TAN, the acclaimed duo who released their self-titled debut recently to great acclaim. In short, it is one of the best albums of 2012.
Headlining the event was Danish post-R’n’B songstress MØ, plus there was additional support from Norway’s HIGHASAKITE. Showcasing the best emerging talents from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Finland, ‘Ja Ja Ja’ has become an established cultural beacon for the Nordic region and in a totally packed out venue, the beautiful and the bearded mingled alongside musical figures from different generations. The legendary Rusty Egan could be also spotted chatting with up-and-coming electro chanteuse Karin Park.
The evening began with indie popsters HIGHASAKITE, notable for their use of zither in their textural soundboard by vocalist Ingrid Helene Havik. While veering more on the organic spectrum, they have that common thread with many Scandinavian acts of chilly melancholy and a knack for melody plus that dash of Arctic Circle oddness.
SIN COS TAN bring the Finnish weather with them and are dressed appropriately for the conditions. Despite being a new act by definition, the pair are actually experienced hands. On the left is Jori Hulkkonen, the ace music producer who has collaborated with John Foxx but found Top30 fame as part of TIGA & ZYNHTHERIUS with an electroclash cover of ‘Sunglasses At Night’.
On the right meanwhile is Juho Paalosmaa, lead vocalist with VILLA NAH who supported OMD and produced an album of superbly crystalline pop entitled ‘Origin’. It was ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s favourite long player of 2010. Although Hulkkonen was VILLA NAH’s co-producer on ‘Origin’, SIN COS TAN are somewhat different with indie, lounge and R’n’B influences on the table alongside the usual synthpop and dance colours.
For the live showcase however, the audience gets a bias towards the latter, melodic hooks blending with the danceable drum machines and grainy string samples that are very much a Hulkkonen trademark. ‘Sooner Than Now’ acts as a funereal introduction before ‘Bittersweet’ opens out with more conventional instrumentation alongside the synths.
The tracks are segued using dialogue from cult British TV shows with the dulcet tones of Patrick McGoohan among the voices adding a schizophrenic mystery to proceedings. SIN COS TAN make an interesting pair; Paalosmaa – all very intense and committed, Hulkkonen – laid back and almost nonchalant. It’s a classic combination resulting in “a synthesized duo of great promise, broken dreams and long nights”.
A more classic synthpop template a la PET SHOP BOYS arrives appropriately enough with ‘History’, but the brilliantly off-kilter ‘All I Ever Dream Of’ throws people who are looking to dance slightly off the scent. However, the audience is rewarded with the neo-Balearic ‘Calendar’ and an extended workout of ‘Trust’. ‘Trust’ captures a bite that pushes forward the definition of retro-futurism like a 21st Century answer to ‘Enjoy The Silence’. Those who think there are no longer any new ideas in electronic music, please listen again…it’s time to rethink one’s trigonometric functions.
What SIN COS TAN perhaps lack in projection, they make up for in the strength of their songs and their sound. But then again, when you put one of the best producers and one of the best tunesmiths from the Finland station together in a room, this should not be entirely unexpected. The Nordic region is where it’s at with electronic music at the moment. Cold dark evenings and synthesizers…it’s a concoction made in heaven.
Concluding the evening, headliner MØ is impressive. Karen Marie Ørsted’s biography simply says: “The snow nation is eating your brain and your young heart – dark as the apocalypse. So just go perish in the snøw”! She defines her music as “Electronic Soul” and on hearing her live on the singles ‘Maiden’ and ‘Pilgrim’, she comes across like Lana Del Rey trapped in a frozen Fjord.
The resonant synthesized backing hops from hybrid dubstep to Phil Spector gone Sci-Fi while there are also elements of how Amy Winehouse would have sounded under Northern Lights. She uses the stage well to give a charismatically spirited performance which is kooky and profound but very immediate.
Scandinavia may be geographically cold and dark but ‘Ja Ja Ja’ provided a wonderful evening of ambassadorial warmth and intriguing music to savour. So here’s to its fourth year as an influential artistic platform and continuing this Nordic Affair.
SIN COS TAN are Jori Hulkkonen and Juho Paalosmaa, two leading exponents of the Finnish electronic music scene.
Jori Hulkkonen is the seasoned production hand who in his various guises has worked with KRAFTWERK, PET SHOP BOYS, JOHN FOXX and TIGA among many. Juho Paalosmaa meanwhile is the vocalist and songwriter from VILLA NAH, the Helsinki duo who released one of the best albums of 2010 in ‘Origin’ and supported OMD on their UK tour that year. Hulkkonen was the co-producer of ‘Origin’ and his endorsement of VILLA NAH no doubt helped give them become a Top10 band in Finland.
Paalosmaa also sang on ‘Re: Last Year’, a track from Hulkkonen’s ‘Man From Earth’ solo record; so a further artistic union was a natural and inevitable progression. As previously showcased on his deep bootleg reworking of ‘Boltimoore’, Hulkkonen’s work has often been haunted by the ghost of Billy Mackenzie.
Paalosmaa, a singer schooled in the drama of DAVID BOWIE and the emotive melodicism of OMD, almost acts as Mackenzie’s present day spirit. While there are hints of ASSOCIATES in SIN COS TAN, they have their own identity seeded by VILLA NAH and PROCESSORY, Hulkkonen’s project with reclusive singer Jerry Valuri. Anyone who has enjoyed either will love SIN COS TAN.
SIN COS TAN’s manifesto is to be “a synthesized duo of great promise, broken dreams, and long nights”. The album starts with the almost funereal ‘Sooner Than Now’, its arpeggios reminiscent of JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS. The slightly off-key marimba and detuned synths make it an interesting if obscure start before the first SIN COS TAN track that went public, ‘In Binary’. This dark, atmospheric space ballad could have come off PROCESSORY’s ‘Change Is Gradual’ album although ironically, it started off as a solo Paalosmaa composition.
Acting as its next door neighbour, ‘Book Of Love’ shimmers with building bass drama and clicks along at a steady rimshot pace, attached to a light R’n’B shuffle. Much more frantic though is the tremendous ‘History’ which is set to a Klingklang percussive structure. Unrestrained, Paalosmaa makes a last ditched appeal to a departing lover with a cry of “you can be my history”. Its imperial PET SHOP BOYS styled middle eight even comes with the Emulator chipmunk voice sample.
Despite the sombre tones of ROBERT GÖRL’s ‘Mit Dir’ resonating in its intro, ‘Calendar’ is almost Balearic. But true to form with Hulkkonen’s intelligent disco manoeuvres, the beats are complimentary and never overbearing… he understands that feel is more important than power.
Continuing the clubland excursions, ‘Played Out’ goes full-on New York electro with distorted robot voice samples alongside Paalosmaa’s dulcet tones. It’s a bit ‘Paninaro’ in its Bassline programming. Off-kilter rhythms drive ‘All I Ever Dream Of’ where Paalosmaa hits falsetto and heavier overtones within the same song before the track heads for a creepy percussive breakdown.
Another of the album’s highlights is ‘After All’ the dynamic 16 step sequence and syncopated measures are complimented by layering strings and electronic oboe. Both are grainy enough to recall classic NEW ORDER while the song itself lifts into another headspace. Factory’s finest were known for thumping dance tracks and guitar driven numbers so with the latter template in mind, ‘Bittersweet’ is enjoyable indie rock and with a spirited turn of energy. It brightly refines THE SMITHS gone electro template of Hulkkonen’s first collaboration with Jerry Valuri ‘Lo-Fiction’.
The marvellous ‘Not Over’ goes on record as the SIN COS TAN’s first proper co-write. Like a smooth electro take on ‘Flesh & Blood’ era ROXY MUSIC but fronted by Thom Yorke, it even includes a sax solo to complete the circle of cool! As the focal point of the album’s genesis, it was unleashed on a 12 inch white label with ‘Sooner Than Now’.
This great album concludes with the superb ‘Trust’, its sweeping drifts, spy drama shivers and introspective reflections providing the most perfect avant pop. Like DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Enjoy The Silence’, Paalosmaa’s demo version was downtempo but Hulkonnen has pushed it into more rhythmic dance territory. As a result, it has become SIN COS TAN’s calling card and is one of the songs of 2012.
Under the additional subtle influence of MASSIVE ATTACK’s smokey vibes and the trippy dance textures of UNDERWORLD’s ‘Dubnobasswithmyheadman’, SIN COS TAN’s debut album impresses with a rich filmic quality permeating amongst all the synths and drum machines. As a whole, there is enough variation while still maintaining a theme and a sound that is both immediate and thoughtful .
A great collection of songs to bridge the gap before hopefully another VILLA NAH album and whatever hat Jori Hulkkonen decides to wear next, those disappointed with PET SHOP BOYS ‘Elysium’ may find what they desire in these fractured Nordic soundscapes.
SIN COS TAN is the new mathematically charged project of ace producer Jori Hulkkonen and VILLA NAH’s Juho Paalosmaa.
Having worked together previously on VILLA NAH’s superb debut album ‘Origin’ and on the track ‘Re: Last Year’ from Hulkkonen’s own ‘Man From Earth’ solo record, a further artistic union was almost inevitable. The duo made their live debut at Helsinki’s Flow Festival this summer.
Their first offering ‘In Binary’ will not be a complete surprise to anyone who has loved either VILLA NAH or PROCESSORY, Hulkkonen’s project with Jerry Valuri. With a stylish video by Pyry Lepistö, Juho Norokytö, and Matti Ranki, the track is an atmospheric amalgam of the two although probably biased more towards the futurist space ballads of the latter’s ‘Change Is Gradual’ album.
The superbly pulsating ‘Trust’ though is perhaps more VILLA NAH, and showcases the pair’s manifesto to be “a synthesized duo of great promise, broken dreams, and long nights”.
Add in sweeping drifts, sharp widescreen cimbalom, danceable but subtle beats and emotive vocals tinged with sadness from Paalosmaa, what more could you want? Haunted by the ghost of the late Billy MacKenzie, ‘Trust’ could possibly be the song of 2012…
So while VILLA NAH take a sabbatical and Hulkkonen wears yet another hat (other monikers have included ZYNTHERIUS, ACID SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, KEBACID, DRUMMAN, STOP MODERNISTS and THE TANIA & JORI CONTINENTS!), SIN COS TAN are finishing an album for forthcoming release.
A 12 inch white label featuring the songs ‘Not Over’ and ‘Sooner Than Now’ has been issued as a limited edition of 300 and is available from Stupido Records
Friends since childhood, Juho Paalosmaa (vocals, synths) and Tomi Hyyppä (synths, programming) discovered the joys of electronic instrumentation when they started playing around with a Korg MS10 that belonged to Tomi’s father.
Releasing their impressive debut album ‘Origin’ in May which became a Top 10 album in their home country of Finland, they have since been steadily gaining a legion of admirers including BBC 6Music’s Mark Jones who invited them to play the Back To The Phuture curated opening night at Bestival 2010 alongside HEAVEN 17 and HOWARD JONES.
However, the biggest accolade came with the invitation from OMD to be special guests on the UK leg of their ‘History Of Modern’ tour. “We heard from our manager that Andy McCluskey had heard our album and really liked it” recalls Juho, the duo’s singer and main songwriter; “And then we got information that OMD wanted us to do a remix. We made the remix, they liked it and then we heard they would like us to support them as well which was amazing. So happy about that”
Support slots can be the making or breaking of an act. On the one hand, they can provide wider exposure and an opportunity to increase the fanbase. Sales of CDs and T-shirts afterwards can help sustain a band financially and enhance their profile as they work their way through a tour, usually at their own expense. On the other hand though, many concert goers, particularly those in the UK, see the support act as an excuse to spend more time in the bar. Such short sighted behaviour can lead to missing out on what could be the next potentially great thing happening in the adjacent room!
Indeed, people should look towards the headline act and remember their own humble origins. What if OMD had been ignored when they supported Gary Numan in 1979? It is possible OMD would have made it anyway but their well-received opening slot enabled them to play their songs to a bigger audience who would later come to their own headlining shows.
It’s the often the prospect of discovering something new and seeing it through to its possible success that motivates many a true music enthusiast to arrive early. It is highly unnerving to play to a new audience but OMD’s fans have been primed.
Juho and Tomi contributed the best remix of the ‘History Of Modern’ launch single while many have hailed VILLA NAH as one of the brightest prospects in intelligent synthesized pop for many years. At least VILLA NAH are within the same genre of music as OMD, unlike some of the bizarre acoustic choices for support that have been made by other heritage electronic acts over the last few years.
VILLA NAH are no strangers to being the support act. In their home city of Helsinki, they recently opened for R’n’B starlet KELIS where one would have assumed the audience might be less receptive to their style of electropop: “With that” recalls Juho, “the organisers were gathering a wide kind of audience. They had different types of DJs as well. KELIS and R’n’B are not necessarily that well known in Finland. And it turns out KELIS is not really R’n’B anymore, she’s more into dance music now! It was good and we knew it was a surreal setting for us to support her but we took it as just a show for ourselves. In Finland, it’s quite easy as we have our own crowd to see us.”
Although on paper, an incongruous pairing, VILLA NAH’s popularity in Finland has enabled them to snare a high profile gig. In the rest of Europe though, it’s a slightly different matter. Although they weren’t headlining, they closed Back To The Phuture night at this year’s Bestival: “Bestival was quite intimidating because it’s a huge festival and we played after HEAVEN 17 on a really big stage. As we’re relatively unknown here, you don’t know how the crowd’s going to be. It wasn’t terrible, it was quite good. At that level, you can see from the crowd attendance if people start leaving, they hate you! But they didn’t, they all stayed so that was good.”
For the OMD tour, VILLA NAH’s day starts with some promotional duties and then soundcheck.
Preparations for the setlist were completed a while back with the inclusion of a new number: “It’s called ‘Lights Out'” confirmed Juho, “it may be on the new album but we are definitely working on new material and we have other new songs that we might play so it’s a nice chance to try different things”.
But there’s little time for sightseeing: “We’ll see because it’s hectic” laughed Juho, “I think we’ll have a bit of time, maybe a couple of hours but mostly it’s work! Every city is something I look forward to. I’ve been to the UK several times but I’ve always been in London so now it’s my chance to see every city.” And the places that he’s looking forward to visiting? “Liverpool for one because it is OMD’s home arena”.
VILLA NAH’s manager is Piers Martin. How does he see VILLA NAH’s potential? “This tour is opening them up to an audience who love their synthpop and want to invest in it. VILLA NAH are not a million miles away from OMD and Andy McCluskey is a fan. It stands them in good stead and takes them out of the NME / hipster market, into a market where people actually love their music and it just comes naturally.”
As a paradox to the well-known horror stories of how some established artists have treated their support acts, VILLA NAH are warmly welcomed by their hosts: “Paul Humphreys showed us round, that was really lovely and Andy McCluskey was really nice when he said ‘have a good show guys’ just before we stepped on stage” remembers Juho, “I’m hoping to meet them for a longer chat at some point”.
And it is without doubt that their wistful, subtle electronic dynamics that allow OMD’s audience to empathise with them. For the first gig at Brighton Dome Pavillion which happens to be a standing venue, VILLA NAH triumph. The response is ecstatic with cheers of recognition for intros of ‘Remains Of Love’ and ‘Ways To Be’.
“That was amazing.” Juho modestly remarked, “As far as I’m concerned, they don’t really know who we are, yet they know the songs! It’s just remarkable”. ‘Envelope’ goes down particularly well as it possesses the melancholic soundscapes that are most reminiscent of classic OMD. Tomi, the technical genius and quieter of the pair grins with his thumbs aloft and can’t hide his obvious delight with the audience’s response. Among the crowd was Alexa who’d come all the way to see OMD from Minneapolis: “I thought they were great, they were just naturals”.
They weren’t the only ones who had been won over by VILLA NAH’s Nordic charm. Those who know their electronic music history were very complimentary: “Excellent, very OMD, very KRAFTWERK, a little bit CHINA CRISIS” affirmed Darren; “a little bit of all the old electronic stuff in there but a modern twist, I loved that! I’ll be straight on Amazon after the gig”! His pal John was also impressed: “It was the first time I’ve heard of them, brilliant! Nothing more I can say… going to get the album!”.
Asked if VILLA NAH had approached these dates differently compared their own shows, Juho replied: “In practice not but maybe mentally. It’s different because we’re in the UK and obviously as a support act, the crowd are here to see OMD. The crowd here was amazing. Far better than I would have imagined”. With a nervous chuckle, he added “I don’t know if I’m a pessimist, but maybe I had expectations that people would be in the bar! But people were here and everyone was lovely, really receptive”.
There appears to be a whole international following just waiting to embrace VILLA NAH. South African Jenny McGregor was more than happy with what she saw: “I loved it, they were really brilliant. I loved his voice, it was really powerful. It was emotional as well and I Ioved the sound, it was really great. I’m going to buy the CD”.
Jenny’s best friend Alison was all smiles too: “The music was amazing. It was like a step back in time but also quite modern at the same time. It was just fabulous”. She also appeared to have developed a crush on Tomi: “I was watching and the guy playing the keyboards, you just want to go up to him and hug him!! He just looked divine!”
During the interval, quite a few copies of ‘Origin’ are being sold and one of those purchasing the CD was long standing OMD fan Gary Constable, accompanied by his son Ryan: “Very original, good dance music. Very creative” he said, “it was very good indeed, I had to buy the CD”. Young Ryan, aged 12 has obviously been brought up to the sound of the synthesizer and youngsters like him are the key to electropop developing into its next generation: “I thought they were really good. New dance songs, really good band. I’m looking forward to listening to the songs on their CD”. Who knows, this evening may even inspire Ryan to start making music and become a pop star of the future, just like Andy McCluskey did after seeing KRAFTWERK in 1975.
The merchandise area is a sight to see as a polite queue develops at the end of the evening for autographs and photos. Juho and Tomi are shyly acknowledging the chat from their new fans… it’s something they’re going to have to get used to. “I think it’s lovely, the fact that people come up and say they listen to our record and give us everyday life examples of how they listen to it in the car, it’s great” said Juho; “I know it s a cliche but when fans come up to you, that really makes it worth it. Even if you’ve had a bad day otherwise, that can really save your day when a fan comes up to you and says the music means something to them. And you remember there are people that get something out of it.”
With the positive reaction in Brighton, Juho was able to express some cautious optimism for the remainder of the tour: “I hope it goes like tonight, if people everywhere are this receptive, it’s going to be fantastic really”. He allowed himself another grin but there was one nagging concern: “We have a little less gear with us… I always fear something breaks down. We’re in the UK and we don’t have anything to replace”.
As the tour progresses, even in seated venues like Bristol Colston Hall and Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, the crowd offer their appreciation. Peter McCafferty who accompanied his OMD loving wife Corrie to the Nottingham concert said: “I thought they were quite interesting and enjoyable. I thought the songs were interesting enough without the need for the rather thudding beat. Considering I went in completely cold to them, I quite enjoyed it and they held my attention”.
On a day-off from the tour, rather than take a break, VILLA NAH play a headline show at the Soup Kitchen club in Manchester before heading for the cavernous Liverpool Arena. This turns out to be Tomi’s favourite gig of the tour: “People say big arenas are scary but I didn’t find it at all, it was quite cosy being on stage because the sound was good and there was room to breathe”.
The most anticipated date of the tour is the prestigious Hammersmith Apollo in London. There is just something about the art deco interior and magnetism of this one-time cinema formally known as Odeon. Even with the heavy corporate sponsorship that is now apparent, it is still one of the best concert venues in London. This was the one place Juho was really looking forward to playing: “It’s legendary and the fact that we are playing there is just mind blowing! For me, I’m a big fan of David Bowie and I think it was Hammersmith that he ‘killed Ziggy Stardust’… it’s remarkable!”.
However, while headline acts often flourish, it’s not always so straightforward for the opening act. The London crowd are perhaps a little less excitable than the other audiences on the tour. “I think it went alright” said Juho, “A London crowd can be a bit more harsh maybe. But they warmed up quite well and because we’re supporting, I’m not really expecting people to know the music that well so I thought it was alright”.
Despite the comparatively cool reception, VILLA NAH give the capital a couple of musical treats. First of all, there’s another new song ‘Love Chance’ which was premiered in Glasgow and has a more optimistic feel that hints at the wistful overtones of early CHINA CRISIS. Juho explained this was a reaction to his home surroundings: “Because we come from Finland… it’s a cold dark country, I’m particularly fond of anything that’s sort of warm and sunny. We had a really record breaking warm summer and I think that affected it. It is a little bit warmer in sound. Also, I was on holiday in Singapore so maybe it originated from there, that kind of oriental feeling in it”.
But to finish the set, there’s a trip from Lake Geneva to the Finland Station in the form of a superb Suomen translation of PET SHOP BOYS’ ‘West End Girls’. Juho told the story of how this came about: “The Finnish version is actually a cult classic where we come from in a small circle of people. We didn’t really invent the cover version but thought that would be appropriate because we love the cover and the original. It’s about this town called Turku. We first played it there and it was like a special moment. Tonight we thought for just half humouristic reasons, it would be appropriate to do it for London people. I don’t know how it went down really.”
Their crystalline cover of a cover actually goes down very well. Polite applause from the many rather than enthusiastic approval from just a few always sounds better and there are people who have been impressed by the way the boys from Helsinki have projected themselves tonight. Paul Tarr said of their set: “I thought they were excellent tonight. I’ve seen them once before on the tour in Brighton. They’re very, very entertaining for two guys that are supposed to be rather static. Once you get into the rhythms of what they do, they are a very entertaining act.”
The tour is almost over and for VILLA NAH, this has been the pinnacle of their international career so far. “It’s been amazing, I really mean it” Juho said “When we got onto this tour, we didn’t really know what to expect. And every town, all the crowds have just been so warm and acceptive. I think it’s the OMD crowd as well, they just have fantastic fans”. Tomi nods in approval and gave his thoughts: “It has been quite easy. All the arrangements have been a surprise for us so we are really enjoying ourselves.”
And with greater recognition comes more opportunities and a busier timetable but even a promising new act can’t be in two places at once. VILLA NAH have had to decline the offer of a support slot with another classic Synth Britannia band due to scheduling conflicts: “We were asked to support THE HUMAN LEAGUE on their UK tour but we can’t do it… I would have loved to have done it.” said Juho.
But despite this disappointment, things are looking rosy for VILLA NAH’s Way Of The Future: “We have some quite big shows in Finland, we’re going to play in a legendary rock club. But then we are slowing down to get into the studio to record. We’re just aching to do that.”
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to VILLA NAH and Piers Martin
Jori Hulkkonen is one of Europe’s most highly regarded electronic music producers.
One of 2010’s best albums, ‘Origin’ by VILLA NAH is one of his co-productions. Although he released his first album ‘Selkäsaari Tracks’ in 1996, he first came to the world’s wider attention as part of TIGA & ZYNTHERIUS on their 2001 electro cover of Corey Hart’s ‘Sunglasses At Night’ which became a massive international club hit.
In 2005, he collaborated with John Foxx on ‘Dislocated’ as part of his fifth solo album ‘Dualizm’. This also featured Jerry Valuri on the track ‘Lo-Fiction’ and led to the formation of their duo PROCESSORY and the release of a self-titled debut in 2007.
Up for the odd spot of artistic mischief, he assembled THE ACID SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, an experimental avant-garde techno ensemble of nine fellow conspirators each controlling Roland TB-303 Bassline computers, all conducted and mixed by Hulkkonen while operating various Roland drum machines. Described as “performance art meets acid house”, the collective famously supported KRAFTWERK on their Helsinki date in 2009.
As well as undertaking remixes for CLIENT and ROBYN among many, in 2010 he released his seventh solo album ‘Man From Earth’ which featured VILLA NAH and again Jerry Valuri who sang on two songs including the brilliant title track which made ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s Top 30 songs of that year.
Never one to stand still, together with DJ Alex Nieminen, he has just released a cover version of NEW ORDER’s ‘Subculture’ under the moniker STOP MODERNISTS. The original track saw the Factory Quartet at the start of their Italo inspired sub-PET SHOP BOYS imperial phase so this rework appropriately enough features none other than Chris Lowe on lead vocals.
But it’s PROCESSORY that is Jori Hulkkonen’s main focus at the moment. The new album ‘Change Is Gradual’ is a more synthetic and collaborative effort than its predecessor with hints of a lo-fi gothique and the reclusive Valuri’s anguished vocals providing a foreboding atmosphere over the retro-futuristic instrumentation.
Perhaps initially less dance oriented than his better known work, this is an ambitious 18 track neo-concept album in three acts. And as the title suggests, there is a progressive escapist vibe running throughout. Album opener ‘Young Italians’ has strong moody overtones filled with grainy Emulator strings. ‘Farewell, Welfare’ is creepily dystopian and built around some gloriously weird noises while the collections highlight ‘Take Me To Your Leader’ actually concocts some very introspective moods at The Finland Stationbut nothing has been proved.
‘Recovery Measures’ bleeps up the pace and is more readily accessible. But on the more downbeat side ‘Human, Unfortunately’ could be a eulogy from ‘Blade Runner’ and this minimal wave continues with closing numbers ‘In The Unlikely Event Of An All Life Erasing Gamma-Ray Burst, This Is The Soundtrack’ and ‘Adaptation For Survival’. These are spacey takes on the similarly apocalyptic themes explored on MUSE’s three part ‘Exogenesis Symphony’.
With the album now released, Jori Hulkkonen kindly spoke about ‘Change Is Gradual’ and his varied musical adventures to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK
You have recorded under a variety of guises; as yourself, ACID SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, KEBACID, DRUMMAN, STOP MODERNISTS and PROCESSORY. Another person who had as many identities as this is fellow producer Stuart Price. What made you decide to wear so many hats?
Originally, when I signed my debut album followed by an artist contract with the French label F Communications in the mid 90s, it was agreed that I may still release music on other labels, but not use the name I would use on F Comm. And as I decided early on to work my artist albums under my real name, it was only natural to develop pseudonyms for music on other labels. And as I worked with many different labels, I always tended to come up with a new name. To date I think I’ve recorded under about 20 different names.
ACID SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA had the honour of supporting KRAFTWERK in the summer of 2009. How did it feel to support the mighty Kling Klang foursome? Any stories about that event?
The whole visual side of the ASO is lending heavily from the imagery of KRAFTWERK, so getting the opening slot for them was pretty amazing.
Ralf Hütter told me after the show he was very impressed by the whole concept and our performance, making the experience a truly exceptional one.
When did PROCESSORY come into being with Jerry Valuri?
I’ve known Jerry for 15 years, and even before ‘Lo-Fiction’, which was recorded in 2004, we experimented with his vocals. Jerry had never done any singing before so it was a long learning curve. I think the first record released with Jerry’s voice is Man From Solaris which was released on 12″ vinyl in 2001. In 2002 it was included on my album ‘Different’ which featured another song with Jerry, ‘Four Seasons, Four Loves’.
‘Lo-Fiction’ was the first proper song thing where Jerry wrote his vocals and lyrics on top of a musical idea I had. We were both going through on a very deep phase with THE SMITHS. After the success of the song – but more importantly because it being a very cool experience for both of us – we decided to start working on an album As it was a proper collaboration, we didn’t even consider doing the album as a JORI HULKKONEN record, but we wanted to create its own little universe. Our self titled debut album was released in 2007.
So what makes PROCESSORY different from your last solo album ‘Man From Earth’ which also featured Jerry Valuri on two tracks?
The two tracks on ‘Man From Earth’ with Jerry were both written by me, Jerry just re-sang my vocals as I’m not such a great vocalist. Same thing with the VILLA NAH collaboration on that album, ‘Re Last Year’.
The idea with PROCESSORY, although I do all the final mixes, is to bounce ideas back and forth, musically, lyrically and thematically. So it’s a real collaboration, whereas on JORI HULKKONEN records, I’m a dictator who doesn’t negotiate.
‘Change Is Gradual’ is divided into three parts. What was the idea or thought behind this?
Two reasons. First of all, it’s very long record, pretty much the maximum length of a CD. We felt that dividing it into three parts maybe makes it more accessible. Secondly, the album took about one year to record. There were three phases we went through and that’s roughly the partition you have. Originally we wanted to make a slow, dark album, which is the first part, mixing a variety of influences from new age to dub.
The second part features more traditional pop songs, which I was kind of against initially, as I didn’t want the record to sound too much like the VILLA NAH album I had produced earlier that year. But the songs took their own direction and became something totally different. The last part is more based on productional ideas leaning towards dance music, lending to Detroit techno and disco and generally have a more upbeat vibe to them. After recording everything, we thought maybe we should release three separate mini-albums but eventually came up with this three part solution.
Which would you say are the key tracks on the ‘Change Is Gradual’ album and why?
Tough, it’s still too close, I could probably answer this better in a few years, but ‘Trickle Down’ was the first track we recorded for the new album and it laid down some basic directions. ‘Take Me To Your Leader’ and ‘Non-Aggression Principle’ are probably my favourite songs on the album at the moment, they both turned out exactly as I wanted plus the album closer ‘Adaptation For Survival’, that kind of sums up the vibe of the whole album.
Do CD and vinyl versions of the album have same tracks?
‘Change Is Gradual’ is available only on CD and digital, then there will be a series of three 12″ vinyl EPs that feature both originals from the album but also remixes by the likes of AEROPLANE, HERCULES & THE LOVE AFFAIR and CFCF
You also co-produced VILLA NAH’s ‘Origin’. How did you meet Juho and Tomi?
In 2008, a friend of mine had seen them live and gave me the link to their MySpace page thinking I might like it. They had the demo versions of ‘Daylight’, ‘Ways To Be’, ‘Envelope’ and ‘Emerald Hills’ up there and I was instantly hooked. I’d spent so much time listening to these songs on MySpace that when we started working on them later in 2009 in my studio, changing them felt somehow wrong. So those particular songs didn’t change that much from the demo stage.
At the time in 2008, I was organizing a small weekender festival in Helsinki and I booked them to play there. Also at the show were the guys running the Keys Of Life label. We were all totally blown away by their performance so the plan of recording an EP that I’d produce was made the same night.
One thing striking about ‘Origin’ was that it was dance influenced but very sparse and not in-your-face like most club recordings. What was the main thing that you brought to it?
There was a lot of material to begin with. The guys had written a lot of songs in the previous couple of years, so someone outside their songwriting duo having a fresh pair of ears was crucial in picking a group of songs that would make a good album. Secondly I brought in options. I would hear potential in a certain song that could be fulfilled with a different approach; a good example being ‘All The Days’ which was quite different when we started work on it.
How do you assess VILLA NAH’s potential as a synthpop act in the 21st Century?
It all depends on them really, what they want to do. They have a lot going on for them though; great songwriting, a very good debut album to build on and definitely not least, Juho’s magical voice.
Many people internationally first became aware of you via TIGA & ZYNTHERIUS’ cover of ‘Sunglasses At Night’ in 2001. How was that song chosen to be covered and what was it like to be swept along by the Electroclash movement of that time?
As with most things, it was all very accidental and not very planned at all. I was in Montreal promoting my new mix CD ‘Helsinki Mix Sessions’ released on Tiga’s Turbo label in 2000, and we just had some spare time to mess around in Tiga’s home studio.
We tried a few cover versions including ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, ‘Small Town Boy’ and ‘When Doves Cry’ before trying ‘Sunglasses At Night’. I’d originally found the song back in ’84 on a 12″ called ‘West End Sunglasses’, a megamix of Corey Hart’s ‘Sunglasses’ and the original version of PET SHOP BOYS’ ‘West End Girls’, and the synthline just felt very cool to use with the 808 beat. It took us a couple of months before re-listening to what we’d done and sending it off to DJ Hell. We weren’t really expecting that much of the whole thing. I’m glad I used a pseudonym for that release as even though I loved a lot of the music that was around and connected with Electroclash, the whole scene felt a bit distant to me.
You’ve continued to occasionally produce / co-write with Tiga on his solo albums. It is good that you still work together but was a permanent partnership never really a possibility?
After ‘Glasses’, we actually started work on a TIGA & ZYNTHERIUS album and it was very close to being finished, titled ‘The Strings That / Us’. Eventually we concluded that keeping T&Z as a one hit wonder was a lot better – and cooler – alternative though so we agreed on focusing our solo careers, with some songs of those sessions ending up on our albums, such as ‘Dying In Beauty’ on my ‘Dualizm’ album, and Highschool on Tiga’s Sexor. Because we do work together pretty well as songwriters, we’ve tried to get in a studio at least once year and actually we’ve accumulated quite a few unreleased songs that have never made it on either of our albums.
You collaborated with John Foxx on two tracks ‘Dislocated’ from ‘Dualizm’ and ‘Never Been Here Before’ from ‘Errare Machinale Est’. How did you first come to be working with him?
I believe it was around the time John Foxx & Louis Gordon’s album ‘Crash & Burn’ came out, I got in touch with John’s manager Steve Malins. John Foxx’s ‘Metamatic’ is one of my all-time favourite albums.
For me it was a fantastic opportunity to get a chance to work with one of the people who had shaped my musical world. ‘Dislocated’ was written by me, with John and the sound of ‘Metamatic’ in mind, whereas ‘Never Been Here Before’ was a co-write, sounding more contemporary club music.
Would you like to do a full collaborative album like the JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS project ‘Interplay’?
We’ve talked about further collaborations, and yes I’m sure more music will be coming sometime in the future from us in one form or another.
And you have also recorded a cover version of NEW ORDER’s ‘Subculture’ with PET SHOP BOYS’ Chris Lowe on lead vocals?
The idea of re-recording ‘Subculture’ by NEW ORDER is something I’d considered for a long time. In fact, my first cover version of the song goes back to 1990. The idea was to take what me and STOP MODERNISTS partner Alex Nieminen felt was an underrated song, make a late 80s deep house interpretation and bring some extra twist with having Chris on the vocals.
It’s very hard – impossible, actually – to explain how important this record is to me. PET SHOP BOYS have been the most important musical influence for me, and to be part of the official PSB canon in way completes a circle that started in the mid 80s when hearing ‘West End Girls’ for the first time and deciding “that’s what I want to do”
Where do you stand on the balance between using vintage and modern equipment. Do you have any particular favourite synthesizers or devices that are important elements to the Jori Hulkkonen sound?
I love hardware, and I love vintage synths and drum machines, but at the same time I love new technology and software and follow what’s going on in there.
I think using old machines but then mixing and manipulating in a virtual environment gives you the best of both worlds, and that’s where I’ve been at for the last ten years. I don’t think I have any trademark synths. Seems over time that when I work with a new piece of equipment, hardware or software, I always end up trying to make them sound the same!
Have you had any formal musical training or are you self-taught?
Self taught – that was the one thing that got me into electronic music, the idea that you could do everything by yourself, in your bedroom with no real musical education. It felt truly radical.
You have done remixes for many acts. Has there been a particular one that has stood out for you which has been personally a great artistic success?
I think ‘This Boy’s In Love’e by THE PRESETS is a 10 out of 10 remix on my standards. It’s difficult to say why but somehow everything just clicked when I was making it and it still sounds fresh.
What projects are you working on next?
There’s plenty of stuff that I’m working on, as an artist, producer and remixer. The next release I have lined up is another collaboration album, this one I did with Via Tania from Sydney, Australia. We’re called THE TANIA & JORI CONTINENTS and our album is called ‘Continent One’. It’ll be out this summer on the Australian label Other Tongues. It’s a mix of synth and chamber pop. Tania has the most amazing voice.
Is there anyone else you’d be interested in working with?
Yes, and I’m working on it!
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to Jori Hulkkonen
Special thanks also to Tapio Normall for his valued assistance and contribution
PROCESSORY ‘Change Is Gradual’ is released by Sugarcane Records
‘Subculture’ by STOP MODERNISTS featuring Chris Lowe is released by Keys Of Life Records
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is released on CD, vinyl and download by Solina Records in Europe and Sugarcane Records for the rest of the world at 
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