*Features
-Helsinki in Berlin
* Business News
- Jori Hulkkonen = Gorgeous Pop Machine
- Multi-platinum metal-Idols second album out in June 2008.
- Lets folk! Kaustinen ready to roll.
- Chronicles of Kantele
- Jayne Lakissova invests in music
- Apocalyptica banging heads and taking names in North America
- Poets of the Fall keeps hitting that top spot
- This time, the monkey has six arms
- Perfect for Central Europe!
- Playground unleashes Hateform
*Live news
- Kimmo Pohjonen Earth Machine Music tour of UK
- Värttinä
- Poets of the Fall
Helsinki in Berlin
Helsinki in Berlin kicks off on upcoming Saturday (April 19) with a openingparty and three events, including acts like Jimi Tenor, Rinneradio, Obi Blanche etc.. Helsinki in Berlin is an unprecedented push to get quality Finnish music the kind of attention it deserves. During the following two weeks over 50 Finnish artists will perform in Berlin, including headliners like Disco Ensemble, Lovex, Op:l Bastards, Negative, 22-Pistepirkko, Diablo, http://www.myspace.com/organkane ">Tuomo and M.A. Numminen. Check out our myspace and facebook sites for schedule and more info!
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Even though the invading hordes from the North are pillaging Berlin this month and likely to leave behind a trail of dazed and confused music fans with thoroughly boggled minds, wandering aimlessly from club to club, theres lots of other stuff going on in the exciting world of Finnish music exports.
Jori Hulkkonen = Gorgeous Pop Machine
After eight artist albums, mix CDs, dozens of twelve inch releases for dance music’s hottest labels and remixes for artists such as José Gonzalez, Goldfrapp and Cabaret Voltaire, Jori Hulkkonen (F COMMUNICATIONS) is widely regarded one as the most prolific and innovative producers around. Or as DJ mag put it, “Is Jori Hulkkonen the most underrated producer in the world?”
Machines and science have always fascinated Jori Hulkkonen, so its logical that the first digital “only” release on F Communications is by Jori.
On his new album, Jori delivers an amazing opus with several guests: John Foxx, Jimi Tenor, Justine Electra, Jerry Valuri etc. The result is Joris best album to date, with beautiful songs with electronic flavors. Written and produced by the Zyntherius man behind Sunglasses at night and acclaimed remixes for Chromeo, M83, Presets and Robyn.
Multi-platinum metal-Idols second album out in June 2008.
The sophomore album of extremely successful, record-breaking Finnish Pop Idol winner Ari Koivunen (SonyBMG) will present melodic hard rock with heavier sound than before. The production team led by Nino Laurenne responsible for Aris smash hit debut are working on the new one as well.
Stay tuned for the first single, which can be heard in May via SonyBMG
Lets folk! Kaustinen ready to roll.
Uniquely among major festivals, its Kaustinens own extraordinary, ever-evolving living musical tradition that reaches out and draws in the world. - Andrew Cronshaw
Themes for this years Kaustinen Folk Festival are Mexico and the Kymenlaakso region of Finland. A brand new musical theatre version of Seitsemän veljestä (Seven Brothers, published in 1870) based on the novel by Aleksis Kivi, one of the most prominent figures in the history of Finnish literature is also a central attraction. Mexican rhythms, Irish folk, music from Africa, North America
All the usual stuff that makes Kaustinen a legend will naturally be present, from childrens concerts to wild campfire jam sessions.
The program will be released in early April.
Chronicles of Kantele
Kanteleplayer Timo Vaananen (DIFFERENT LEVEL) will playing is featured on the soundtrack for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Disney). The premiere is on the 16th of May in the US. Timo also played in the earlier Narnia movie: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The composer of the music in film is Harry Gregson-Williams.
Timo Vaananen will be promoted to Artistic doctor 4th of April from Sibelius-Academy Music University. His instrument and subject of the doctorate studies is the electric kantele, a modern version of the Finnish national instrument. Timo was the first player of this instrument in the world. Timo has played kantele on several recordings in a variety of genres from folk to metal.
Official movie website here
Jayne Lakissova invests in music
Jayne Lakissova, a young Estonian singer signed to Helsinki-based Parole Records, has finished the recordings of her debut album. The files have now been sent to John Fryer for mixing. This respected producer’s CV includes names like Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, HIM, This Mortal Coil, NIN and Paradise Lost. The theme of the album, called La Poupée, revolves around dolls. The first single from the album is scheduled for a summer release and in early autumn, you will hear the full tale of a Victorian doll museum at midnight.
Currently Jayne lives in Riga, Latvia, and is celebrating her 16th anniversary in music. She is graduating as an economist, but sacrificing a career as an investment banker to concentrate on her own world of strange tales. Its a wise investment!
Apocalyptica banging heads and taking names in North America 
Apocalyptica (ZOMBA) will be returning to North America for a 5-week tour that will see them hitting dozens of cities from coast-to-coast. Their new breakthrough album, Worlds Collide, will be released on the 15th of April. The first single off the album, I’m Not Jesus featuring Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour), has exploded on the rock radio charts, making Apocalyptica one of the most successful Finnish acts ever on the format.
Poets of the Fall keeps hitting that top spot 
Revolution Roulette, the new Poets of the Fall (INSOMNIAC)album, went straight to number one in Finland, thus following in the footsteps of their two previous, platinum-selling efforts Signs of Life and Carnival of Rust.
The trio will tour as a six-piece band during April and May. Check out the dates in the live section of this newsletter.
This time, the monkey has six arms
KTU (Kimmo Pohjonen, Trey Gunn, Pat Mastelotto) completed their third recording session for their next album at Zone Studios, Dripping Springs, Texas. Release is planned for autumn 2008.
Kimmo Pohjonen myspace here
Perfect for Central Europe!
Perfect Sound´s label Presence Records has made a license deal for three albums with German label Nordic Notes. The Jazz-Emma Nominee Kurkirku and their debut The Mesh, folk-prog-ambient trio Kataya´s forthcoming debut album Canto Obscura and second album by Jeavestone, Spices, Species and Poetry Petrol will be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Nordic Notes will release Kurkirku on 23.5.2008 and Kataya and Jeavestone on 6.6.2008.
Playground unleashes Hateform
The modern death metallers Hateform (7:45 RECORDS) released their debut effort titled Dominance in January. The initial release covered Finland. Playground Music Scandinavia will distribute the album in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Baltic countries this spring, with more to come. Hopefully the world is ready to bear the wrath of Hateform, because Dominance will be unleashed upon them shortly!
LIVE AND LOUD! FINNS IN YER FACE!
Kimmo Pohjonen
Earth Machine Music tour of UK
Kimmo Pohjonen (HOEDOWN) will make his Earth Machine Music tour of UK in May 2008. Four towns and venues in rural England are selected to present Pohjonens performances with accordion and farm machines. The tour is organized by Sound UK.
May 11: Hall Farm, Nowton. (Bury St Edmunds Festival).
May 13: Manor Farm, Cocking, West Sussex (County Arts Service West Sussex + Roots Around The World).
May 15: Westcott Barton, Middle Marwood, Barnstaple, North Devon (Beaford Arts).
May 17: Park Farm, North Aston, Oxfordshire (Oxford Contemporary Music).
More international Pohjonen dates:
May 26: Dijon, France - Tribu fest (Kimmo Pohjonen & Eric Echampard)
June 6: Paris, France - Villette Sonic - 100% Finlande (solo)
June 14: Poznan, Poland - Ethniport Festival (solo)
Värttinä (HOEDOWN)
May 28: Leipzig, Germany Finnish EU-event
May 30: Ulm, Germany - Ulmer Zeit
June 13: Poznan, Poland - Ethnoport Festival
Poets of the Fall (INSOMNIAC)
Revolution Roulette Tour
April 22: A2 Club, SPb, Russia
April 23: Ikra, Moscow, Russia
April 24: Columbia Club, Berlin, Germany
April 29: House of Blues, Los Angeles, USA
May 8: Debaser, Stockholm, Sweden
May 9: Sticky Fingers, Gothenburg, Sweden