Video: Jori Hulkkonen – Don’t Believe In Happiness

Directed by Tero Vuorinen. Out September 15th 2017 thru My Favorite Robot Records. Taken from the album “Don’t Believe In Happiness”, out November 24th 2017.

Jori Hulkkonen – Don’t Believe in Happiness

Jori Hulkkonen is building towards his next full length album on My Favorite Robot, but before then comes a lead single with some fresh remixes from Zombies in Miami and Kiki.

Hulkkonen is a regular on this label and his last album came on it in 2015, with one before that coming in 2012. A prolific producer with a real mastery of his synths, he creates atmospheric soundtracks couched in techno but with a wide world of influences contained within.

The fantastic first track is ‘Don’t Believe in Happiness’, which is also the name of the album. It is a dark but beautiful track of synth laced ambience with only occasional kick drums somewhere deep down below. Gorgeous pads and melodies ring out in a church like fashion and elevate your soul in the process. Add in some whispered vocals and the whole thing has a tender ‘80s feel to it which leaves a lasting impression.

Mexican pair Zombies in Miami aka Canibal and Jenouise of labels like Correspondant and Suara then step up with a fine remix. Their smooth and seductive vision is more beat driven but remains deep and spiritual with a slithering lead synth line and supple drums all working you into a zoned out trance.

Last of all comes Kiki, the long time BPitch Control artist from Helsinki. His take on the track reworks it as something more song like, with great structure and plenty of tension in the way it builds through eerie vocals and sections of synth drama and eventually upright drums. It’s a blissful cut with an infectious beat and offers something refreshingly different.

This is another in a long line of standout and synth heavy tracks from Jori Hulkkonen that make the prospect of his next album all the more appealing.

Tracklist:
1. Dont Believe In Happiness
2. Dont Believe In Happiness (Zombies in Miami Remix)
3. Dont Believe In Happiness (Kiki Remix)

Jori Hulkkonen – I Am the Night & Tintan Turdel

Before he releases ‘Don’t Believe In Happiness’, his next full length album on the label, Finnish artist Jori Hulkkonen teases us with two new tracks on My Favorite Robot Records.

Hulkkonen is a regular on this label with his two last albums coming through the imprint. A prolific producer with a real mastery of his synths, he creates atmospheric soundtracks couched in techno but with a wide world of influences contained within. These new tracks are two of the more DJ friendly cuts from the “rather dark and moody forthcoming album, and have been secret weapons in his sets for a while now.

Up first, the majestic ‘I am the Night’ has all elements Jori has come to love in house music over the past 30 years: a slightly distorted, punchy 808, mystic vocal sample and a dramatic chord sequence. It is a serene and zoned out cut that really gets you under its spell.

On the flip, ’Tintån Terdel’ is a more laid-back groove based on a fine chord structure and with a bouncy bassline reminiscent of Metro Area and arpeggios a la Daft Punk from their golden turn of the millennium period, all finished with chords from Miami Vice-era Jan Hammer. “This track is dedicated to my favourite hangout in my home town in Turku,” says Jori of the breezy and laid-back number.

These two great cuts offer a tantalising taster of what is to come from the full album later in the year.

Tracklist:
1. I Am The Night
2. Tintan Turdel

Release date: 09-06-2017
Label: My Favorite Robot Records

FEELS – If You’d Meet Me Tonight (Jori Hulkkonen Remix)

FEELS is a Helsinki based indietronica band formed by singer and songwriter Sofi Meronen, keyboardist Mikael Myrskog and producer Jooel Jons. They describe their music as epic, gripping and toned with northern melancholy. ‘If You’d Meet Me Tonight is taken from their debut EP ‘Butterflies’ that was released in the beginning of March.

The legendary Finnish producer Jori Hulkkonen saw the band play live in his home town Turku earlier this year, and became a part of their rapidly growing fanbase. So, this is what Feels and Jori Hulkkonen sound like when you melt them together. The song is out March 25th at iTunes and other digital stores.

Kenny Glasgow – Imagine a World feat. Shanira G EP

Now that he is working solo again, Kenny Glasgow returns with another essential new track, this time on a label with which he has a long relationship, namely My Favorite Robot Records. It comes ahead of a much anticipated solo album later in the year and is delivered with fine remixes from H.O.S.H. and Jori Hulkkonen, all in all sealing a very sweet deal.

Glasgow, of course, was one part of world-renowned dance duo Art Department but has now gone back to working solo. Before touring the world as a duo, Glasgow was a key player in his native Canadian scene as a DJ, producer and promoter who helped foment the scene. As such, he was also a close friend and musical associate of the esteemed My Favorite Robot label way back when. He in fact released his excellent solo wares on the label as far back as 2010 in the form of the ‘Final Frontier EP’, so his return is long overdue and is sure to be widely heralded by those who know.

The intoxicating lead original here is ‘Imagine A World’ featuring Shanira G and is a spine tingling emotive house track. Spaced out pads drift above slick drums and rich bass adds real depth and moodiness to the overall atmosphere. Shanira G’s vocals are dreamy and alluring and play nicely off Glasgow’s own ghostly work to make for a delightfully fresh and original sounding cut.

Jori Hulkkonen released his latest album on this label last year, and recently got the remix treatment from Kenny Glasgow amongst others, now he steps up to take on mix duties. His version is more energetic, with spritely drums and widescreen, new wave styled synths stretching in all directions. It’s a classy club cut that will take ‘floors to the next level, for sure.

The second excellent remix comes from German producer H.O.S.H., who is a mainstay on the Diynamic label and has a fresh take on tech that sees him play high profile gigs all over the world. His take on the original is playful and upright, with skipping drums, rumbling bass and intergalactic chords that make you want to move.

The original and remixes here are all truly on point and mark another fine release for this taste making label.

Tracklist:
1. Imagine A World feat Shanira G (Original Mix)
2. Imagine A World feat Shanira G (Jori Hulkkonen Remix)
3. Imagine A World feat Shanira G (H.O.S.H. Remix)

Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books Remix EP

Having released Jori Hulkkonen’s latest and greatest album, Oh But I Am (as well as the one before that!), Canadian label My Favorite Robot Records now proudly present five fine remixes of ‘Black Books,’ a track taken from the LP.

In original form the track is a slow and wintry electronic crawler with radiant synths adding some real heat to the glassy, icy tinkles. Triumphant trumpets add an air of musical majesty and it’s a great set ender that will leave people on a clean and crisp musical high. First to remix is the accomplished Finn himself, and he turns out a great dub that has sonorous bass and big rubber kicks driving along the elegantly atmospheric synths up top.

Next comes former Art Department man and long time Toronto techno star Kenny Glasgow. Here he keeps things slow and blissed out, with percolating drums and starry synths that are superbly spine tingling and spaced out. My Favorite Robot’s eponymous in house production team then get in on the action and come up with some seriously heavyweight techno drums and high intensity synth lines that are sure to blow any dance floor wide open whenever they get dropped.

Next, Doc L Junior (a.k.a. Lunchbox) is a Norwegian DJ and producer from labels like Sex Tags Mania and Music For Freaks and his Robo Dub is a charming slow churner with cosmic arps, arresting sounds and sci fi vibes in its deep disco bones. Finally, No.19 mainstay Nitin teams up with Butr for a final great remix that is littered with loose, dusty drum & bass breaks and liquid, golden pads that take you back to a 90s jungle hey day in blissful fashion.

This is a diverse and deliciously on point remix EP that offers plenty for everyone. Out on March 18th via My Favorite Robot Records.

Tracklist:
1. Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books (Jori Hulkkonen Club Dub)
2. Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books (Kenny Glasgow Remix)
3. Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books (My Favorite Robot Remix)
4. Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books (Doc L Junior’s Robo-Dub)
5. Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books (Butr & Nitin Remix)
6. Jori Hulkkonen – Black Books (Album Version)

Phantom – Over (Video + Jori Hulkkonen Remix)

Finnish producer Jori Hulkkonen has revealed a house-inspired remix of electronic duo Phantom’s new single ‘Over’. Having collaborated in the past with the likes of John Foxx, José González and Tiga, Hulkkonen’s latest remix follows the recent release of his brand new full-length LP on My Favorite Robot Recordings, and sees him embellish the dark pop tones of Phantom’s original to transform it for the dancefloor.

Phantom’s ‘Over’ is out through VILD Recordings. Watch the official video below. Taken from their forthcoming debut full-length LP coming in 2016.

No 30-21: Top Albums of 2015

30. Thodoris Triantafillou – Trilogy
29. George FitzGerald – Fading Love
28. Coma – This Side Of Paradise
27. Fritz Kalkbrenner – Ways Over Water
26. 2econd Class Citizen – A Hall of Mirrors

25. Maya Jane Coles’ Nocturnal Sunshine
24. Lauer – Borndom
23. Lane 8 – Rise
22. Jori Hulkkonen – Oh But I Am
21. Leftfield – Alternative Light Source

Spotify blogovision 2015 playlist

Jori Hulkkonen – Something Left to Learn EP

FBNM presents two killer cuts by Finnish House and Techno master Jori Hulkkonen, backed with a beefy dub mix from the genius international collaboration of Balihu Records head honcho Daniel Wang and J.E.E.P. aka Jules Etienne.

It’s all in the arpeggios as Jori headlines with ‘Something Left To Learn’ an homage to italo disco in both sound design and methodology. Written almost exclusively using the rare Italian made Solton Programmer 24 (1985), he turns out an authentic moody original of groovy electronic bleeps, disco drums and emotive pads whilst featuring some heavily effected vocals of his own!

Daniel Wang and J.E.E.P. continue to collaborate and this time with a mix at the personal request of Mr. Hulkkonen, they don’t fail to impress! Their Dub- apella treatment strips back the arrangement and pull out the heart, giving back some breathing space to the mix, but if only so they can add some disco percussion and fatten everything right back up again!

Finally ‘Distant Cities’ sees the android Hulkkonen head deep into the future, Detroit 2192 to be exact. Detuned oscillators and dissonant keys pump out over a precisely rigid drum machine groove chorused with the wonkiest robotic vox you’ve ever heard! A big one for the late night dance floor freaks.

And as usual FBNM provides on point mastering from Andreas [LUPO] Lubich at Calyx, Berlin and a complete custom colour sleeve design for the fully premium vinyl experience!

Jori Hulkkonen – Oh But I Am LP

Jori Hulkkonen returns with his first solo artist album under his own name in half a decade, the delightfully idiosyncratic ‘Oh But I Am’ which sees the Finnish production heavyweight on firing form..

Jori Hulkkonen has been at the heart of the global electronic music scene for two full decades now, releasing under a variety of monikers through some of the most highly respected labels around including F Communication, Turbo and My Favorite Robot. Though he has been prolific in recent years his focus has been on a number of side projects including as Sin Cos Tan, Third Culture and Nuclear Winter Garden, now he returns with his first full Jori Hulkkonen album since 2009’s ‘Man From Earth’.

‘Oh But I Am’ is an eclectic and engaging collection of twelve songs from Jori, with influences taken from Italo disco, early 80’s pop and classic house. Written over the past few years whilst working on his band and alternative projects, the LP captures the producers love of synth heavy, pop tinged songwriting in perfect style. Opener, ‘Last Cut is the Deepest’ kicks things off with an acidic instrumental jam before launching into the etheral, balaeric workout that is ‘Waiting is All We Have’. There are a brace of wonderful house inspired cuts in the albums interior including the hypnotic, ‘Capetown People’, the delightfully deep and cosmic ‘Quick to Judge, Slow to Execute’ and the electro influenced ‘Songs of the Eastern World’. Jori’s inner 80’s pop star comes to the fore on the stunning ‘Ready Player One’ which is about as catchy as it gets whilst retaining a real depth and ‘Italian Love Affair’ is another gem that transports you back to an age of uplifting, hooky electronic melodies. The LP concludes with the superbly loungy and ethereal ‘Exotica Memoirs’, leaving the listener with Jori’s trademark otherworldly vocals echoing around in the recesses of the mind.

This latest long player from scene stalwart Jori Hulkkonen truly is a triumph, a delightful mix of soaring melodies and heartfelt vocals that weave their way through a series of rich and perfectly balance productions. Out on My Favorite Robot Records on September 28th.