Finnish Electronic Music – A brief checklist

Finnish Electronic Music – A brief checklist



This page will be updated later.

Finnish synthesizers

In the 1960s and early 1970s Erkki Kurenniemi (1941-2017) designed and built such instruments as DIMI, DICO, Sähkökvartetti (the Electric Quartet), etc.

Otherwise Finnish composers, musicians and producers utilised mostly imported US and European hardware, such as MiniMoog, Korg’s synths, etc. One of the Finnish synth pioneers was the musician Esa Kotilainen who imported his first MiniMoog from Germany in the early 1970s. Before that, the use of musique concrète type of spliced tapes and manipulating the sounds of simple oscillators or traditional instruments through a mixing desk were a typical production technique for the early Finnish electronic composers when synthesizers were not available yet.

Composers and musicians (also avantgarde/experimental) 1950s – 1980s


  • Pekka Airaksinen (also as a member of The Sperm)
  • Åke Andersson
  • Paavo Heininen
  • Antero Honkanen
  • Bengt Johansson
  • Reijo Jyrkiäinen
  • Esa Kotilainen
  • Erkki Kurenniemi (e.g. Sähkökvartetti)
  • Osmo Lindeman
  • J.O. Mallander
  • Einojuhani Rautavaara
  • Herman Rechberger
  • Otto Romanowski
  • Jukka Ruohomäki
  • Kaija Saariaho
  • Erkki Salmenhaara
  • Jarmo Sermilä
  • Martti Vuorenjuuri


    Studios:


  • Yleisradion Kokeilustudio (Finnish Radio's Experimental Studio)
  • Helsingin Yliopiston Musiikkitieteen Laitoksen Studio (The Electronic Music Studio at Helsinki University Music Department)
  • Osmo Lindeman Kotistudio (Osmo Lindeman's private studio)
  • EMSin Tietokonemusiikin studio Tukholmassa (EMS Computer Music Studio in Stockholm)


    Synthpop/Electronic pop/Experimental (late 1970s/early 1980s) – Bands and solo artists


  • Aavikon Kone ja Moottori
  • Advanced Art
  • Argon / Organ
  • Stressi
  • Jimi Sumén
  • Jimi Tenor and His Shamans
  • Tapa Paha Tapa

    More info


    Also several chart acts or mainstream rock bands not mentioned here who utilized synths and disco sounds, etc., but were not actual electronic acts.


    1990s and onwards

  • Jori Hulkkonen
  • Mono Junk (a.k.a. Kim Rapatti and Dum Records label)
  • Pan sonic (Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen – also solo works – see also: Sähkö Recordings)
  • Vladislav Delay (a.k.a. Sasu Ripatti)


    … and too many others to mention. See: Finnish electronic musicians @ Wikipedia


    1960s – 1980s:


    There aren't many full-length documentaries on Finnish electronic music. There are some interviews at YouTube, usually brief, and rarely anything with English subtitles. One exception, though, is Tulevaisuus ei ole entisensä/The Future Is Not What It Used To Be (2002, 52 min, 35 mm) by director Mika Taanila, a documentary film on Erkki Kurenniemi. Also, Konesielu/Machine Soul (2015, 65 min) by director Tero Vuorinen is an account of Finnish electronic dance music in general. (Unfortunately, no info on the international availability at the moment).


    YouTube links (Eng subs = videos with English subtitles)


    Erkki Kurenniemi


  • The Future Is Not What It Used To Be TRAILER (Eng subs, 2002)
  • Erkki Kurenniemi: "I register everything with a manic precision" (Eng subs, 2002)
  • Electronics in the World of Tomorrow (1964)
  • Erkki Kurenniemi’s Andromatic demonstrated by Jari Suominen (2022)


    Esa Kotilainen


  • Esa Kotilainen @ Tuubi, TV1 (1979)
  • Esa Kotilainen ja Suomen ensimmäinen minimoog: Freddie Are you Ready -teemaa syksyllä 2018 (2018)
  • Esa Kotilainen - Space Improvisation｜Inkoo Sessions (2020)
  • Kahvitauko Esa Kotilaisen kanssa (2022)

    Otto Romanowski

  • Syntetisaattorin demonstraatio/Synthesizer demonstration (1980s)


    Finnish Techno Music Scene


  • Machine Soul: A documentary film about Finnish electronic dance music – Trailer (Eng subs, 2015)
  • Kontula Electronic Festival 2016

    Suomen rave-kulttuurin historia/History of Finnish rave culture @ Bassoradio - Playlist (2012)


    Produced by pHinnWeb (on the scene in Tampere, Finland):

  • Joonas Toivonen, Swäg ry. (2018)
  • Kone-Suomi (2018)
  • Amuri Tekno (Eng subs, 2024)

    Record releases:


  • Various Artists - "Suomalaista Elektroakustista Musiikkia, Finnish Electro-Acoustic Music" [CP 217] (1978)

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