Music Export Finland newsletter 04/03

Dear friend,
 
Humppaelämää by the fabulously frenzied Eläkeläiset of STUPIDO RECORDS will be released in Germany and in other GAS areas through Tug Records. The drunken oompah show has caused happy mayhem in venues around Germany for two weeks. You can still catch Eläkeläiset at Leipzig (April 22), Nurnberg (April 21), Potsdam (April 23), Hannover (April 24), Essen (April 25), Bamberg (April 26), Wien (June 6), Passau (June 7), Linz (June 8). For the Nordic region STUPIDO RECORDS has signed a distribution contract with Sound Pollution and a distribution contract with World Clinic to Baltic countries.

The golden eyes of POKO RECORDS, The 69 Eyes, will perform at Treffen, the biggest goth music festival of the world (up to 50.000 participants) in Leipzig, Germany on June 8. POKO is proud to present their new star eyes Creamstar with debut album The 12th of Never. Combining retro sounds in the style of Blondie, Swedish guitar pop heritage, the charming feel of thousands of blue lakes, fresh radio-friendly production and first class musicianship of the members make Creamstar’s debut one to cast your ears on.
 
EXOGENIC BREAKS RECORDS has signed a deal with VME Group for distribution of Accu´s self-titled album in Scandinavia and for licensing in France through Bazoline Records. The dynamic label has also signed a domestic distribution deal with Sony Music Finland. Contract will make it easier for retailers and customers to get their hands on first-class electronic music that Exogenic provides. New EXOGENIC releases for spring 2003 include: trance band Squaremeat´s Jungle Boogie Party Line album on April 11 and ambient wizard Mac Mavis´s Gate Finder album released on May 25. Exogenic Breaks Records will come out with rocktronica band Reuna and release both their single Like Myself and debut album Smelly in May. 

ROCKADILLO RECORDS has a lot of action with the new release by Sámi joiker and modern world music artist Wimme. The new CD Bárru has been licensed to NorthSide (for USA and Canada) and Westpark Music (for GAS) and it is already out in those territories as well as in Scandinavia on Rockadillo (distributed in Finland by Warner Music; in Sweden, Norway and Denmark by Bonnier-Amigo). Distributers in France (L’Autre Distribution) and Benelux (Music & Words) are releasing the CD in early May. Bárru, Wimme’s 4th release, is astonishing: surprises lurk around every corner, as does a constant sense of playfulness. Using electronics, an array of plucked string instruments, various sound effects, and most of all, his astonishing range of sounds, Wimme and his band create a comprehensive and wholly unique listening experience. ROCKADILLO´s ambient tecno-jazz band RinneRadio is well featured on the brand new Nu-Jazz compilation on Universal Music/Emarcy edited by jazz critic Stuart Nicholson. Other artists include Bugge Wesseltoft, Jaga Jazzist, Cinematic Orchersta and Courtney Pine. Nu-Jazz includes three tracks from RinneRadio’s previous CD Nao; more than from any other artist on this worldwide (outside of USA) Universal Music release.

Nightwish of SPINERFARM RECORDS has domestically sold an exceptional double platinum for metal music with their album Century Child. The success was followed by two Emmas (the Finnish Grammies) in March in ‘The best Finnish Artist of the Year’ and “Export band of the year” categories. The band is also releasing a new End of Innocence DVD in May and spending their summer doing festival gigs around Europe. SPINEFARM RECORS most awaited releases for the spring were the hellcats Thee Ultra Bimboos’ Bimbo Wizard released on April 14 and Lemonator´s Grandpop released on March 17.

FIMIC – Finnish Music Information Centre has documented the scope of Finnish rock and pop in the Finnish Rockumentary 2003 publication and CD. They present a multitude of artists covering various genres, including mainstream pop and heavy metal as well as dance and hip hop, among others. Domestic stars and national specialities are also under examination. The publication´s ‘address section’ provides contact information for Finnish record companies, labels, agencies, festivals and publishers. Copies from www.fimic.fi
 
BTW: Did you know domestic repertoire makes an impressive 55% of total market (sold units) in Finland?