JAAKKO EINO KALEVI
Hei Jaakko, Kiitos ajastasi. Firstly congratulations on your new album Out Of Touch. In terms of the writing and lyrical content, was there an overarching narrative tying the album together or an assortment of topics and inspirations that zig zag throughout the record?
Thank you, it is quite exciting! It’s always more of a compilation of ideas, what it is in the end, but of course there is a narrative too and that would be me.
Were there instances during the song writing where you already had some music semi fleshed but lacked the scenario to apply it to and had to wait for the right setting to present itself so as to sprout the precise lyrics that were eventually framed by the music?
Yes, like the song Night Chef for example. I have had the music ideas there for many years and tried different lyrics to it. Just putting sentences after another but then one day it made sense that it could be about cooking at night. I love cooking at night and that song is about this.
It is well documented that your earlier profession was that of a tram driver in Helsinki and with that with that in mind, how much on the job time did you spend formulating the sounds of your music and deriving the lyrics that would later feature in your music?
I don’t know what’s the legacy of that job nowadays in my life, but while I was doing it, it was the perfect time to develop ideas and you were doing something and moving at the same time. Very meditative job at its best. Boring at its worst. Your mind works differently there.
Often lyrical inspiration is born out grandiose experiences but more often than not it comes from everyday people in everyday situations of which you are most adapt at in consolidating into beautiful soundscapes with lyrical finesse. What is it about the ordinary that most inspires you into crystallising these moments?
Sometimes the grandiose and everyday experiences are the same, just on a different scale. That sentence doesn´t really make sense to me and I can’t think of any examples of it right now but still I would like to believe in it. I guess it’s some kind of alchemical approach to things. It’s too obvious to get inspiration from the grandiose. But don´t get me wrong, I talk about the grandiose too.
On a more existential note, living in the land of the midnight sun and the dramatic differences in light and dark, what environmental factors from this natural phenomenon impact on the music you create considering the societal changes between summer and winter?
Bad weather is good for making music. Bad meaning not 30 Celcius and the sun all the time. On the other hand in Finland you feel more pressure to go out when the summer is on. I live in Berlin now and I like the darker nights in the summer. Also my skin is better in the winter because it gets pretty dry in Finland. The midnight sun feels special but I don’t like it when the sun is already up when I´m going home from a party. Not all the time, at least.
On Out Of Touch, you performed each and every instrument that features on the record, was this one of the ways in which you wanted to push the sonic boundaries compared to that of your previous releases?
It’s just more relaxed that way. You can have your time and don’t have to communicate about the ideas. I feel I can play all my instruments well enough for my needs so why not to do it? Actually there are two guests on the album, KarI Jahnsen singing backing vocals and Jorja Chalmers playing one saxophone solo.
Recently you collaborated on two tracks for American Utopia by music royalty David Bryne. It must have been a humbling yet daunting experience to be approached to work with David and to also create the musical elements for Every Day is a Miracle and Gasoline and Dirty Sheets?
It was fun. They had so many producers on the album so it’s a mix of many visions naturally. I did this with my friends Magnus Olsen and Ben Anderson. We worked on basically every song on the album and made our own versions. Kind of remixing the songs. I really got to like our versions a lot and it´s kind of a pity that they didn´t use more of our recordings. Anyway, a good experience.
Having meet and performed with so any different musicians and artists over the years, during that time, has there been any defining moments or words of wisdom that were spoken to you which really resonated with you and in turn altered the way you approach your craft?
Yes, my idol and good friend Vilunki 3000 said once to me: “You don´t have to hurry” and since then I have cherished that piece of wisdom in my heart.
For music lovers in the Southern Hemisphere who may not know Finland's music scene, what Finnish musicians / artists have inspired you over the years? And what Finnish upcoming talent should we be listening to?
I was listening Vilunki 3000´s and Timo Kaukolampi´s bands in my youth like And the Lefthanded and Op:l Bastards. Also some prog rock like Wigwam, Pekka Pohjola. Some newer ones I want to mention are Hash, Melting Hearts, Kebu, Myttys, DJ Candle In The Wind and Jesse.
Can we expect a South Pacific tour anytime soon?
I really hope to come there as soon as possible!
