Music Export Finland BLOG

Musiikki & Media starts today!

2009-10-22T13:58:00.002+03:00

Musiikki & Media will celebrate its 20th anniversary this weekend in Tampere, Finland. Music Export Finland has invited 70 international guests to meet the local industry and see dozens of showcasing artists that play Lost in Music, Musiikki & Media's showcase festival.
The honorary guests of Musiikki & Media this year are Terry McBride from Nettwerk and Tom Silverman of legendaric Tommy Boy Records (home of De La Soul, Digital Underground, House of Pain etc...).
Wish you all were here!

RUBIK ON A NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

2009-09-25T10:45:00.005+03:00

Dada Bandits gets rave reviews in tastemaker media

"it’s brilliant, album-of-the-year type material ... to listen to Dada Bandits is to hear as good a summation of modern indie rock as you’re likely to hear." (Popmatters, USA)

Indie rock band RUBIK started their North American tour yesterday September 24 at Victoria, BC’s Rifflandia. The month long tour consists of over 20 gigs in Canada and The US, and ends in CMJ, New York, where the band plays the last gig of the tour as a part of the Arts & Crafts and Friends showcase at Brooklyn’s Union Pool.

Rubik’s sophomore album “Dada Bandits” was released in Canada and The US on September 15 and the album is out now in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Holland and Belgium among other territories.
Rubik North America tour dates:

Sept 24 Canada, Vancouver, Rifflandia
Sept 28 Canada, Vancouver, The Biltmore
Sept 30 Canada, Kelowna, Habitat
Oct 01 Canada, Edmonton, Brixx
Oct 02 Canada, Calgary, Palomino
Oct 03 Canada, Saskatoon, Amigo's
Oct 05 Canada, Winnipeg, The Lo Pub
Oct 06 Canada, St. Paul, Turf Club
Oct 07 USA, Chicago, The Dark Room
Oct 08 USA, Pittsburgh, Garfield Artworks
Oct 09 USA, Brooklyn, Union Hall
Oct 10 USA, New York City, Pianos
Oct 11 USA, Boston, Great Scott
Oct 13 Canada, London, Black Shire
Oct 14 Canada, Peterborough, The Montreal House
Oct 15 Canada, Toronto, Horseshoe Tavern
Oct 16 Canada, Montreal The Green Room
Oct 17 Canada, Ottawa, Café Dekcuf
Oct 19 USA, New York City, KEXP radio live
Oct 20 USA, New Jersey, Wonder Bar
Oct 22 USA, New York City, Brooklyn, Union Pool (Arts & Crafts and Friends CMJ Showcase)

2009-09-09T07:41:00.004+03:00

Helsinki will be back in Berlin again! Next week brings six bands from Finland to the Frannz-club in Kulturbrauerei. Wednesday 16th Sept you'll get Phoenix Effect, Indica and The Souls, Thursday 17th Rubik, Astrid Swan and Murmansk.

Also, remember the Nordic Revelations nights by Live Nation at Magnet on the same nights with the following Finnish acts: Rödsögården, My First Band, Major Label and Vanity Beach, together with Swedish and Danish acts.

To the Helsinki in Berlin Myspace.

Vuk to support Fever Ray on the 2009 US Tour

2009-08-24T08:11:00.004+03:00

Finland's lovely VUK will be the support act for Sweden's Fever Ray on their 2009 US Tour. The tour starts on September 28 in New York's Webster Hall. VUK's second album "The Plains" is out in Scandinavia by the label Pyramid.
Now that's what we call Nordic cooperation!

Acid Symphony Orchestra is here!

2009-08-07T08:41:00.004+03:00

Acid Symphony Orchestra - Diamonds Of The Night is here! Acid Symphony Orchestra, run by mighty Jori Hulkkonen, features 10 Roland TB-303 bassline synthesizers, one TR-707 or a TR-808 drummachine and personnel to operate them.
"Diamonds Of The Night" is taken from the forthcoming Acid Symphony Orchestra 12" on Turbo recordings featuring live recordings of ASO shows.
Acid Symphony Orchestra will support Kraftwerk next week at the Flow Festival in Helsinki.

GO MGI GO!

2009-07-27T09:20:00.005+03:00

Young Finnish producer/songwriter MGI (Henri Lanz) hits the top 10 of Billboard's album chart with "On Top" on Twista's "Category F5". MGI has the production and co-write credits in "On Top", which will also be the next single from the album.
Congratulations, Henri!

Regina remix Moto Boy

2009-07-08T09:52:00.003+03:00

The song "Young Love" from Swedish artist Moto Boy has been remixed by the lovely Regina. Go and listen to it here!

Arigato, Tokyo!

2009-06-05T15:20:00.004+03:00

Thank you, Tokyo!
Last week we had Finland Fest in Tokyo, trade day in cooperation with wonderful people from Hotwire and showcase at Liquid Room, done by our friends at Creativeman.
Six bands in one night, big up for the great audience!!!
Bands that rocked and rolled were Carmen Gray, Indica, Naked, Stalingrad Cowgirls (with a "little" help from mighty Michael Monroe), Sunrise Avenue and TV OFF (pictured).
See you again next year, Japan!

Thank you Brighton, next up SPOT in Århus, Denmark

2009-05-18T12:54:00.016+03:00

Jaakko & Jay and TV Off absolutely killed it at the Great Escape in Brighton last weekend! And we are happy to announce that this week we're off to Århus in Denmark, for the great annual SPOT Festival. The Finnish acts at SPOT are the hyped, energy-blasted Le Corps Mince de Françoise with shoegazer-fuzz rockers Joensuu 1685 and Murmansk.

See you in Denmark. Hopefully it's a bit less windy and rainy than in Brighton!

Going to Brighton this week?

2009-05-11T10:56:00.007+03:00

The Great Escape festival 2009 will feature two buzzed-about Finnish acts - the acoustic punk-rockers Jaakko & Jay and the definitely danceable electro-pop duo TV Off. Let's meet in Brighton!

JAAKKO & JAY (Fullsteam Records)

Fri 15th, 9:00pm / Redroaster
Sat 16th, 9:30pm / Unitarian Church presented by Rough Trade

TV OFF (Unsigned)

Fri 15th, 7:45pm / Latest Music Bar Downstairs presented by Artrocker
Sat 16th, 9:30pm / Komedia Studio Bar

Every Word, and the long road

2009-03-12T08:55:00.002+02:00

Sometimes it can be a long road for a song to travel across the ocean. First from Finland to US, 37 weeks (!!!) on the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay-chart, and now Ercola can be heard on BBC RADIO 1's B-LIST!
Ercola ft. Daniella, Every Word, check out the mixes

More hot stuff: "Bitch Of The Bitches", by Le Corps Mince De Francoise, out now, digitally and on 7" hot wax!

First he takes US, then he takes UK

2009-01-23T12:59:00.005+02:00

Ercola's smash track "Every Word" (ft. Daniella), has spent more than 20 weeks on the US Hot Dance Airplay chart and when looking at the yearly chart of 2008, "Every Word" is the 5th most played track!
After all the radioplay in US, the song sees a release in UK via Cayenne Recordings on January 26. Good luck, mate!

EUROSONIC 2009

2009-01-08T11:32:00.004+02:00

Have you been missing us?? Sorry for not writing here for a while..we've been busy decorating our Christmas trees and building up fireworks for the New Year's party. But now, we're all cool, up and running again...

Next week it's again the time for the annual Eurosonic Festival. There'll be four Finnish acts playing. No need to say they're all worth checking out:

REGINA, HUORATRON
VICE PARTY
SIMPLON MAIN
Thu, Jan 15th

AUTOMATIC EYE
VINDICAT
Fri, Jan 16th

LE CORPSE MINCE DE FRANCOISE
VERA
Fri, Jan 16th

APOCALYPTICA DOMINATES US RADIO CHARTS

2008-11-25T15:14:00.006+02:00

Hot on the heels of Ercola's no. 1 song on the US Hot Dance Airplay Chart, "Every Word", comes another Finnish radio smash - from, erm, a little different kind of artist: cello-metal band Apocalyptica's new single, "I Don't Care" has topped the BDS- and Mediabase Active Rock radiocharts in the US.

And that's not all, folks: "I Don't Care" is also in the top ten of the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks & Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts. Other top ten artists on these charts include names as Metallica, Coldplay, AC/DC and Slipknot.

Check out "I Don't Care" feat. Adam Gontier at www.myspace.com/apocalyptica

Congrats from Helsinki, fellas!

Thank you Ville

2008-11-25T09:07:00.004+02:00

Music Export Finland's dear longtime producer and director 2007-2008, Ville Kilpeläinen, will move on his career. Ville (pictured) is having his last day in our office today, so what can we say? Thank you for the years, and the flight miles! May the force be with you.
Ville's new home will be at Fullsteam Records, so please enjoy this goodbye-song from Steam:

Jonathan Poneman - interview in YouTube

2008-11-07T09:57:00.003+02:00

Jonathan Poneman of Sub Pop interviewed by Saku Tuominen in Musiikki & Media two weeks ago:

Pitchfork loves LUOMO

2008-11-06T10:08:00.004+02:00

One of Finland's finest, LUOMO, is back.... and strong! The new album, "Convivial", is a masterpiece, and also PITCHFORK knows it. Check out the review here. 8,5 points, great tracks, great vocalists, including Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters.

Ercola number 1 on Billboard!

2008-11-04T10:59:00.003+02:00

All hands up for Mr. Ercola! 20 weeks on Billboard's US Hot Dance Airplay chart, and now he's on top! #1 with the song "Every Word" with Daniella. Congratulations, man!!!

TAMPERE: MANCHESTER OF FINLAND

2008-10-31T10:28:00.009+02:00

Greetings from Musiikki & Media in Tampere, Finland! The Finnish music industry works hard so they have to party hard as well - Friday night was like a scene from Blues Brothers, and Sunday morning like a scene from an Aki Kaurismäki film.

Big thanks to our international guests for coming, we had a blast! Hope you had as much fun as Jonathan Poneman of Sub Pop did (see pic below)...

BERLIN STATE OF MIND

2008-10-14T16:10:00.009+03:00

Howdy ho!

If you missed the Finnish action last week in Berlin, check out the pics below:

Le Corps Mince De Francoise at Cookies

Top Billin' at Cookies

Lordi

Jesse at the Nordic Drinks Party, Popkomm

LCMDF METRO MAGAZINE'S "ONE TO WATCH"

2008-09-26T15:42:00.006+03:00

Metro UK:

"If you were disappointed by CSS's mainstream rock follow-up to the brilliantly all-over-the-place Cansei De Ser Sexy, then Le Corps Mince de Françoise are the perfect pick-me-up ... they may say they're Cool And Bored but Le Corps Mince de Françoise sound too infectious to submit to indie posturing."

Check out the full article here

LCMDF Myspace: www.myspace.com/lecorpsmincedefrancoise

LCDMF live:

09 OCT Secret Show, Berlin
10 OCT Vice Party at Scala, Berlin
11 OCT Sweat Club, Leipzig
13 OCT Secret Show, Paris
15 OCT Social Club, Paris
18 OCT Proud Galleries, London
22 OCT Barfly Camden, London
23 OCT Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow
24 OCT Notting Hill Arts Club, London
21 NOV Klubbscenen, Oslo
22 NOV Blaest, Trodheim
05 DEC Les Transmusicales De Rennes, Rennes

Juha Kyyrö of Fullsteam - one of 10 New Bosses in the live music industry

2008-09-05T12:25:00.005+03:00

Juha Kyyrö, president of Fullsteam, has been voted to the list of ten 'new bosses' in the live music industry, voted for this year by its current bosses, in the IQ Magazine. Congratulations from Music Export Finland!

JONATHAN PONEMAN FROM SUB POP TO JOIN THE MUSIIKKI & MEDIA EVENT IN FINLAND

2008-08-28T10:47:00.005+03:00

Jonathan Poneman, the man who founded the legendary label Sub Pop with Bruce Pavitt in the late 80's, will join the Musiikki & Media conference in Finland on October 23-25. Music Export Finland will organize a celebrity interview with Poneman, and go through the 20 years of amazing records.

Today's favorite from Sub Pop's history in our office? BEACHWOOD SPARKS! Or Wolf Parade ? No, THIS IS IT!!!

Viva la Sub Pop!

LORDI TO HEADLINE POPKOMM IN OCTOBER

2008-08-19T15:54:00.005+03:00

The ultimate monster rock band Lordi will be headlining this year's edition of Popkomm, taking place in Berlin on October 8-10.

Other confirmed Finnish acts in Popkomm's official program include Sturm und Drang, Ismo Alanko & Teho, Rubik, Underwater Sleeping Society, April, Damn Seagulls and Astrid Swan.

Check out the schedules and venues at www.myspace.com/helsinkiinberlin

Watch this space and the Helsinki in Berlin MySpace site for more additions to the line-up.

Bis bald!

TOMMY RAMONE TO JOIN THE MUSIIKKI & MEDIA EVENT IN FINLAND

2008-08-13T13:36:00.006+03:00

Tommy Ramone, the drummer and only surviving original member of the highly influential punk rock band The Ramones, is confirmed to attend the Musiikki & Media conference in Finland on October 23-25.

The legendary drummer and producer can be seen in discussion with Seymour Stein, the head of trailblazer label Sire Records and Vice President of Warner Bros Records.

More info on Tommy Ramone here
More info on Seymour Stein & Sire here and here

Check out The Ramones in their heyday performing the Tommy-penned "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" in 1976 at the legendary Max's Kansas City in New York:

HELSINKI IN BERLIN IN ONE AND A HALF MINUTES

2008-07-30T14:45:00.002+03:00

Here's a little something to those of you who missed the first part of Helsinki in Berlin in April:

Helsinki in Berlin flashback

CSS LOVES HELSINKI

2008-07-23T11:22:00.007+03:00

The latest single from Brazillian electro party band CSS is out and they say it was all inspired by a surreal night out in Helsinki.

"The story is the Helsinki story, it really happened, like people dancing on top of tables! It wasn’t like dancing on the table OC style - it was like Lemmy from Motorhead-style, if he ever danced on a table...", says singer Lovefoxx.

Well, let's see what happens when the band plays the Flow Festival (w/ Cut Copy, Crystal Castles, The Five Corners Quintet etc.) in Helsinki on August 16.

Check out the video for "Left Behind" below.

HELSINKI IN BERLIN RETURNS!

2008-07-22T12:42:00.009+03:00

Helsinki in Berlin will return in October with a bang! Get ready for the party of the year during Popkomm, October 8-10.

Further info will be posted on this page as well as on the Helsinki in Berlin MySpace site and the Helsinki in Berlin Facebook group.

Stay tuned!