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I caught up with Finnish Techno producer Samuli Kemppi to talk techno. His main influences, Berlin, Finnish techno, his thoughts on minimal techno and much more. We also have a exclusive techno mix from Samuli.
For those who might not have heard of you could you tell us a little bit about yourself & your specialised sound.
32 year old family father, AD, DJ & producer living in Helsinki. Never been good in describing what I do, specially when it comes to... Read more
I caught up with Finnish Techno producer Samuli Kemppi to talk techno. His main influences, Berlin, Finnish techno, his thoughts on minimal techno and much more. We also have a exclusive techno mix from Samuli.
For those who might not have heard of you could you tell us a little bit about yourself & your specialised sound.
32 year old family father, AD, DJ & producer living in Helsinki. Never been good in describing what I do, specially when it comes to music. It took me 4 years to write a biography, since I didn`t want to write the usual industry bullshit kind of bio that starts with “Samuli started playing the piano at the tender age of 6 ”.
I usually do the tracks on one session, so I can catch the expression of moment and the feeling I have that time. I really like space and science (and also fiction), maybe the endless space and what it stands for is also one basic pillar of my sound. For example, track titles on Hyperkaapo EP are all kind of spacey; Probe and Command Module for example.
After you released on Pakkas-levyt & Frozen North it was a good two years wait until you released again. Was there any particular reason for the gap & would you say your sound has changed in this time?
I became a father just after I had finished tracks for Superkaapo EP on Pakkas Levyt. I just wanted to have a break and be a good father. So, there was a big change in our daily routines. I just couldn`t go to studio whenever I wanted. Now that Kaapo, our son (who can be seen on both Pakkas release labels), is 2,5 years old, it`s so much easier and in some manners less demanding to be a parent.
Becoming a father was a profound change for me and I did some re-evaluation of my own life. Family is #1 on every chart. Maybe that change can be also heard in my music. At least I don`t try to satisfy anyone else with my music, I just do what I feel good about.
Your split release on Ostgut Ton has introduced many to your music. How did this come about as Ostgut usually stick to German artists and producers only?
Marcel Dettmann charted my Superkaapo EP as #1 after it was released and I also got booked to play live pa at Berghain back then. I had early version of Vangel as part of my live pa and Marcel really liked it. It was first meant to come out on MDR, but things changed and it finally came out on Ostgut. That`s how I got involved with Ostgut. I think I`m the first one outside Germany who has released on Ostgut so far, which is pretty amazing thing for me. I really look up to these guys and suddenly I`m amongst them.
To me i would class your sound as refreshing techno and a sound that has a real underground “Berghain” feel would you say that the Berlin techno sound has influenced you?
Off course Berlin techno has had a great influence in me, both early and present sounds, but I think about it as more international city, since people from all over the world are moving to Berlin and became a part of the scene. So, it`s kind of an international melting pot. Berghain has it`s own distinctive sound, created by great minds behind the Ostgut.
Internet has made it easy to be connected to people on the other side of the world and hear fresh music at any hour. For example, I`m starting a collaboration with Italian producer Giorgio Gigli, who I`ve never met so far. We`re changing ideas and stuff over the net and hopefully get something done.
I take influences from everywhere I go and see. Berlin is just one thing among others. It`s not just music that gives me influences and inspiration. People, art, culture, food.. everything!
Who would you say have been your main influences in music?
There is way too many to mention. I love music. All kinds of music. Well, country really doesn`t do it for me, hehe..
I`ll do just some name dropping, so you`ll get the picture. Kraftwerk, Herbie Hancock, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, New Order, The Meters, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Kano, Gino Soccio, Giorgio Moroder, Coldcut, De La Soul, Public Enemy, RUN D.M.C., Felix Kubin, Mika Vainio, Damon Wild, Robert Hood, Jeff Mills, Plastikman, Dave Angel, LFO, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Larry Levan, Larry Heard
I could write some hundred names more. If I have to pick up just one, then it has to be Kraftwerk as the main influence.
I`ve got to say you must be the first techno producer from Finland that I`ve come across. What is the techno scene like in Finland? & who else is pushing it forward along with your good self?
You haven`t heard of Mika Vainio and Sähkö Records? I recommend you to find out about it asap! You`ll be amazed!
Anyway, at this time, summer 2008, the vibe in Finland is better than never before. There`s lots of brilliant djs and producers in Finland releasing stuff on high profile labels around the world. Off course I have to thank Jussi-Pekka, the label owner of Frozen North and Pakkas Levyt, for releasing my stuff. He does a good job. There`s not so many Finnish labels around, artist are usually signed abroad. So, in that manner, Finnish techno is quite international. Also some Finnish producers that live abroad are probably not considered as Finnish in central Europe; Sasse, Kiki, Zentex and Luomo for example.
I`ll do some more name dropping: Juho Kahilainen, Roberto Rodriquez, Acid Kings, F.B.I., Lil`Tony, CRC, Näköradiomies, Jori Hulkkonen, Mr. Velcro Fastener, Imatran Voima, Henri Puolitaival, Tuomas Salmela, Sami Koivikko, Rasmus Hedlund Sorry if I forgot someone. But as you can see, there`s many high profile producers coming out from Finland.
Club-wise at least here in Helsinki there`s happening a lot. Venues like Redrum and Kuudes Linja host brilliant nights every week. There`s big name international artists visiting Helsinki every weekend. This year I`ve played for example with Sleeparchive, Redshape, Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock in Helsinki. It`s good up here north!
This mix you have very kindly done for us is very hypnotic with a fresh, “deep space” techno sound. Do you back the idea that many Djs seem to have fallen out of love with “minimal” & gone back to basic, yet raw sounding techno?
This was just a matter of time to happen. It`s the same in every field of art, not just in music. Thesis and then comes anti-thesis after some time. In my opinion this is only a good thing to happen. This minimal sound you`re referring to was ok in the beginning, but when everybody started playing and producing carbon copies, it got really boring. I jumped off that wagon before it left the station. Minimal to me is artists like Wolfgang Voigt, Robert Hood, Daniel Bell, Mika Vainio; minimal and yet raw, unpolished.
Whats next for Samuli any upcoming releases we should Know about?
I Just finished remixing `Casual Care` named track for Peter Van Hoesen. Loved the original, so this was really enjoyable remixing for me. 12″ on Time To Express (Peter`s label) should be out soon-ish. There`s also EP coming out on Labrynth from me. One Sam & Gigi track is going to be re-released with fresh remixes. Then I`m working on a collaboration with Giorgio Gigli. And some other stuff that is still too early to be mentioned. So, it`s getting busy over here. Looks like this year is sort of a turning point in my `musical career`.
Thanks to Samuli for taking time out and answering our questions and giving us a really great mix. Be sure to hit his myspace for dates, upcoming releases and everything else you need to know.
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