Mika Oulu – Website and Podcasts
October 11, 2025
Nikolai Äystö
October 11, 2025
What happens when ancient northern traditions meet experimental electronic music?
hakosalo_tuohino, the duo for kantele and computer, consists of Osmo Hakosalo and Jussi Tuohino (instruments noted respectively). Kantele's soft and relatively quiet sound has a sharp attack component, but otherwise the tone is mellow and calming. With extended playing techniques (for example harmonics, bowing, striking and metal preparations) kantele's sound can be taken to completely new sonic territories.
The Finnish traditional instrument kantele is estimated to be 1500 years old and belongs to the Baltic zither family. The tradition of playing kantele relies heavily on archaic, improvisational techniques where kantele is seen as vehicle, rather than a musical instrument, to travel to the essence of music.
Furthermore, the immersive spatialized digital expression will transform the delicate kantele sonicality into the modern art of electronic music.
In this journey one reaches other states of consciousness and a total communication between the musicians and their dedication to provide this sonic landscape to the audience.
hakosalo_tuohino duo takes the sonic properties of kantele still many steps further: from the acoustic sound immersive soundscapes are built in intuitive and open-ended fashion. With both performers having varied musical backgrounds in folk, classical, jazz, and electronic music, the duo is able to perform without preset plans regarding musical form and microscale decisions concerning sound material. Kantele-playing is traditionally improvised, and an interesting confluence to freeform electroacoustic live performance can easily be made.
The duo builds their soundscapes up from live kantele sound, which is the only sound source, and usually performs with specialized surround sound systems to help the performers and audience to reach their immersive sonic goals. They have also been exploring artistic methodology of incorporating local sonic (e.g. playing trios with field recordings made in arctic locations) phenomena to their music.
Listen to the Village Anthems Podcast episode featuring hakosalo_tuohino
In this episode, we are joined by the improvisational music duo hakosalo_huohino, Osmo Hakosalo and Jussi Tuohino. Their music emerges in the moment through listening, space and interaction. The duo’s work moves between improvisation, experimental expression and the dismantling of traditional musical structures. Osmo Hakosalo plays the kantele, while Jussi Tuohino uses a computer as his instrument.
In the conversation, they reflect on music as a phenomenon that is not only composed material but something that constantly surrounds us. They also speak about listening as the foundation of music, improvisation, and what happens when the traditional structures of music are taken apart.
Please note that the interview is in Finnish.
