Ritual for the Rainbow is a short film I made in 2023. The tracks were created with various synths and snippets from the shorts dialogue. This is a special limited edition cassette with 50 copies in gold glitter and 50 copies in green glitter. The cassette is self released by Sami Sänpäkkilä who made all the music. Milo Linnovaara plays wind instruments and Jaakko Niemelä has mixed the dialogue heard on the tape.

Side A
1. Junkyard
2. Candy for Life!
3. Rainbow Rooms
4. Floating Flowers

Side B
1. Ritual for the Rainbow
2. Flowers of Incarnation

Total playing time is 18 minutes.

Order cassette from the Fonal Shop or digital from Bandcamp.

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Tuusanuuskat: Toiminnan aattona was released in 2017 on digital format by Fonal Records and on now sold out cassette by Ultraääni Records. Fonal Records and Ultraääni join forces with Jan Anderzén’s label Vauva to release the album on vinyl on November 30th 2018. It is now available for pre-orders in the Fonal shop.

Toiminnan aattona translates as “On the Eve of Action”. The basic tracks for the album were recorded in 2012 by Sami Sänpäkkilä (Es, Fonal Records) and Jan Anderzén (Tomutonttu, Kemialliset Ystävät). The legendary Goodiepal whistled on two tracks during his visit in Finland. The album was put on hold for many years due to other projects, including a documentary Sänpäkkilä made about Goodiepal called The Goodiepal Equation.

In 2017 both Sänpäkkilä and Anderzén revisited the recordings and decided that the album must be released. Additional violins and vocals by Sanna Komi (Ko:mi, Kynnet, Pintandwefall) and saxophone by Suvi Linnovaara (Ainon, Tikka & Linnavaara) were recorded to add organic melodies to the swooshing synths and low bit rhythm samples created by Sami and Jan. The end result is a timeless album full of weird and beautiful sounds.

The amazing cover is an artwork in itself created by Jan Anderzén with logo design and lettering by Ultraääni boss Arsi Keva. Band photo is taken by fine artist Ilona Lehtonen and layout is done by Sami Sänpäkkilä.

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Tuusanuuskat is a collaboration between Es and Tomutonttu. The name of the project Tuusanuuskat is a play on words derived from the phrase “tuusan nuuskana”, (tr. total shambles). It is a Finnish saying that is used when something has broken to a million pieces. The phrase is generally used in a playful context, and often received with laughter. If you google “tuusan nuuskana”, some of the first hits you’ll get are: “After birth; private parts tuusan nuuskana”, “Ferrari tuusan nuuskana” and “Steve Jobs mansion tuusan nuuskana”. Yes, they have chosen their name wisely.

Es is a project of Sami Sänpäkkilä, a musician, film-maker and the head of Fonal Records. To date he has released five full length albums, and made tens of short films and music videos. He also recently scored the soundtrack to the Swedish award winning film Apflikorna. His music and films are experimental moodscapes that explore the themes of melancholy, pathos and hope.

Tomutonttu (tr. “dust gnome”) is a human by the name of Jan Anderzén, a visual artist and leader of the respected avant-garde sound group Kemialliset Ystävät. Toy reed streams, mutilated vocals and groovy loops of animal noise are just some of the colours used to create the whirling mess that is the lonely song of Tomutonttu. His discography is a labyrinth reflecting the nature of his music.

Together, they have prepared an experimental cocktail that sounds like two drunken masters of music, conducting the protons and neutrons travelling from their instruments to their skulls and back, to create a musical nucleus. The CD and vinyl packaging both display Fonal’s customary attention to detail. Both include a striped acetate film, that when placed over the cover, creates an animated sequence of images. The illusion works on the persistence of vision principle. The covers are designed and produced by Jari Suominen (of fellow Fonal recording artists Jarse and Shogun Kunitoki). The vinyl will have a limited edition run of 500 copies

Format: CD
Total lenght: 44 minutes
Catalogue Number: FR-64
Released: 27.5.2009

BUY: CD / LP / Digital download

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Apflickorna is Lisa Aschan’s debut feature film. She asked me already maybe two years ago if I was interested in making music for her film. I heard the concept and gladly accepted. I’m really happy to say that the film turned out quite amazing. There’s a few old tracks from my previous albums plus some new music, it’s specifically made for the film and the scenes so I doubt it’s something that will be released on it’s own.

Most of the music I made on my usual instruments, my trusted Casio SK-5, electric guitar and a plethora of my trusted effects. I also bought a Arturia Analogue factory midi keyboard and have been downloading free soundfonts online as well. I’m not a big fan of the midi world and it’s a really new to me but I gotta say that when used sparsly and with a thought you can really get some amazing sounds. Hardest part is to go through all that trash it comes with and find the good stuff. Much easier with the Casios four useful sounds! (Vibraphone, chorus, organ and piano in case you were wondering.) I’ve been also using the SK-5 to sample the midi sounds to give them a bit more organic and lo-fi feel and this seems to work really well.

I’m sure there will be a trailer out soon so I will update this post as more info trickles out. I gotta say I’m super psyched to have my music in optical format! The film is shot on 35mm negative so the sound is printed right there alongside the image.

The domestic premier was at the Gothenburg International Film Festival (Dragon Award 2011 winner) and world premiere is at the Berlin International Film Festival.

—Update! There was a great review in Variety Magazine and we won special mention at the Berlinale in the Generation 14plus serie. Awesome!

Here’s a short interview with Lisa in Swedish with a few snippets from the movie!

—Another update 30.4.2011
Apflickorna wins The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature at Tribeca Film Festival!

The 10th Annual Tribeca Film Festival , co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by founding sponsor American Express, announced the winners of its competition categories at a ceremony hosted at the W Union Square in New York City. The top awards went to She Monkeys, Bombay Beach, The Journals of Musan, and Like Water.

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“This is my fifth solo release as Es. Kesämaan lapset was recorded during a three year period. It is a mix of soundscapes and pop tunes. You can hear influences varying from contemporary indie to ancient classical music. It’s a summer album and a childhood photo album. The name translates as “The Children Of The Summerland”. It an homage to the Pekka Streng album “Kesämaa” (Summerland) which is one of my favourite Finnish albums ever made. It also refers to Finland of course. I’ve been travelling a lot these past three years and every time I return here it feels more and more like home.

I’ve used lots of instruments, from high-end analogue synthesizers and upright pianos to cheap flea market Casios. I’ve recorded parts of this abroad and at home in my studio and in my bedroom. There are a few special guests: Laura Laurila plays violin, Tuomas Eriksson (Risto) plays trombone and Elissa Määttänen who has sung on most of my albums is present again to give her special voice to the tracks.

I hope you enjoy the album. It is not as ambitious a work as my previous double album Sateenkaarisuudelma. But this one is meant to be listened to in many more situations and it might just fit as music for a house party too…” -Sami Sänpäkkilä

Format: CD
Total lenght: 44 minutes
Catalogue Number: FR-64
Released: 27.5.2009

BUY: CD / LP / Digital

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Sateenkaarisuudelma is my fourth solo album under the name Es. The double LP is a trilogy containing three independent parts: Sateenkaarisuudelma, Maailmankaari and Pianokaari.

Sateenkaarisuudelma contains songs I’ve played live since 2002. These songs were composed and recorded during the same period I made Kaikkeuden kauneus ja käsittämättömyys cd. At some point it became obvious I was doing two albums at once. Also I soon realised that these songs would benefit and work well in vinyl format allowing me to divide songs to different sides and also give them an aging and changing format.

With Sateenkaarisuudelma ready for pressing already in July 2004 I started my journey to Canada, Toronto where I studied fine arts for four months. During this time I also made a ten day tour in USA with Miriam Goldberg on cello, Jeffrey Alexander on guitar and effects, Tara Burke on vocals and keyboard. Shary Boyle did live drawings on overhead projectors. It was an excellent collaboration and the fruits can be heard on the second LP’s side C. Maailmankaari I and II were recorded in Boston at the WMBR radio station.

Side D finishes of the trilogy with two songs composed as early as 2002. I’ve recorded the first song Universaali totuus at least five or six times. This version was recorded in June of 2005 just before sending it to pressing. Pianokaari was mutilated, cut and changed for three years. These two songs span the whole duration of the recording and creation of this double album.

All this time Juri Puhakka was working on the drawings on the sleeves. Featured on the cover is me with rainbows ponting directly at my hands. It represents hope for understanding dreams are within ones grasp. Other musicians featured on the covers are Suvi Mäkinen who has been a part of the Es live line-up many times. Jan Anderzen and I have collaborated on so many occasions that the facts get blurred. Elissa Määttänen has appeared on all but the first album and continues to contribute her vocals to Es live shows as well as the recorded releases. Other musicians on the album are Jeffrey Alexander and Miriam Goldberg from the Black Forest / Black Sea duo and Laura Naukkarinen (aka. Lau Nau). All my gratitude goes out to these people who have been an integral part in the birth of this double LP.

-Sami Sänpäkkilä

Side A/B – CD 1
1. Sateenkaarisuudelma I (Hymni)
2. Sateenkaarisuudelma II
3. Sateenkaarisuudelma III
4. Harmonia, rakkautta

Side C/D – CD 2
1. Maailmankaari I
2. Maailmankaari II
3. Universaali totuus
4. Pianokaari

All songs by
Sami Sänpäkkilä

Guest artists
Elissa Määttänen (vocals A1)
Jan Anderzén (casio, feedback A3, B1)
Suvi Mäkinen (saxofone B1)
Laura Naukkarinen (violin A2)
Jeffrey Alexander (guitar A2, C1, C2)
Miriam Goldberg (cello A2, C1, C2)

Format: 2CD/2LP
Total lenght: 80 minutes.
Catalogue Number: FR-52CD
Released: Finland 5.12.07 Wordwide 12.12.2007

“Sänpäkkilä has achieved what can only be described as musical perfection. […] This is highly, highly essential!” – Bryon Hayes / Foxy Digitalis 10/10

“A stone cold, quiet classic.” – Boomcat.com

“…most profoundly psychedelic mesmerism to come out of the scene to date.” – David Keenan / The Wire

“This album is pure; it cleaned the cobwebs right out of my musty brain.” – Bryan Berge / Stylusmagazine

BUY: CD

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SHORT FILMS:
Surrealistin kaksi vasenta kättä
91: 11-12
Unissani Aavehuminaa
Kubistisia Vittu Saatana
Kubistisia Kukkia Liikkeessä
Plantage Midden Laan
Tarbotstraat
Hämeenkatu

MUSIC VIDEOS:
Tv-resistori: J.o.v.h.m.l.n.s.o.a.m.o. (love)
Islaja: Rohkaisulaulu
Office Building: Never Leave The Ground
Office Builging: Tomorrow Again
Es: She Puts Out The Fire In Her Heart With Her Tears
Circle: Glanu

PRESSRELEASE

In her novel Sculptor’s Daughter, Tove Jansson reveals her father, sculptor Viktor Jansson’s definition of art: art is what we do not yet understand. It is easy to see how art which allows ample room for the spectator’s interpretation might also open up many opportunities for viewing things in novel ways.

The kind of art that adheres to Jansson’s definition is not often made, however. Even if contemporary art swears by the right of every interpretation to exist, anyone who has followed art for a longer period cannot help but encounter the same deep structure under the surface layers of art time and time again. This is due to the simple fact that all artists who approach their work with seriousness will, in a way, imbue their works with the beliefs most fundamental to them, and these beliefs are part of the cultural heritage shared by the community of artists at large.

When choosing the artist to be invited by the Paulo Foundation in 2006, I had to immerse myself in a wide variety of Finnish contemporary art. After having visited art school graduation exhibitions, private exhibitions and artists’ web sites, I was left with three artists who spoke to me in a special way. What they all had in common was that I could not explain what it was about their art that piqued my interest. Among these three, the one that most puzzled my imagination was a graduate of Tampere Polytechnic, Sami Sänpäkkilä.

As an artist, Sänpäkkilä is someone who transcends conventional boundaries: film, music and visual art each vie for his attention. In fact, these separate areas are integrated in his work to such an extent that he could with equal justification be considered a visual artist, a filmmaker or a musician.

His experimental short films are most notably characterised by a certain suspension. For instance, Sänpäkkilä portrays repetitive jumps, trudging through snow or waking up repeatedly. This suspension is also present in the soundtracks to his works. The resulting entity is hypnotic, trance-inducing.

It has been said that every trance is an attempt to solve a problem. This should be understood broadly: a “problem” could be anything, positive or negative, that calls for a decision or a solution. For the artist, it could be a problem or a challenge related to his work, and whilst dealing with it he falls into a state of waking dream. The spectators, however, do not have to concern themselves with the artist’s problems. Each of them has a trance of their own, a train of thought that produces the ideas, solutions or answers for which they are prepared and which are useful to them.

A trance does have an intrinsic value, though. It is a creative state in the twilight zone between sleep and a waking state. Trance can also be described as movement, like the jumps in 91: 11-12 or the running in Surrealistin kaksi vasenta kättä. This movement can lead to the recuperation, as well as the regeneration, of the mind and the sense.

While it may initially be less obvious, another prominent quality of Sänpäkkilä’s art is spirituality.

In his early short films, spirituality manifests itself in the form of universal beauty, for instance. These are pictures of a world in which a positive force is present. In the film 91: 11-12, spirituality is linked with Christianity in the form of psalm excerpts depicting a guardian angel. In Kubistisia kukkia liikkeessä it seems as though the old Finnish public service announcement logo has been engulfed by the baroque blaze of spirituality.

There is a recurring element to his films that proves interesting. The clothes seen in them are contemporary, for the most part, and rather modest at that, yet the ways in which they are worn also convey religious connotations: the hoods and scarves wrapped around the characters’ faces speak of a fervent search for the fundamental questions in life. The context – a barren desert landscape – only heightens the impression.

The more extensive work Aurinkokellari (2006) (not included on the DVD) features a prophetic sequence of events. In the film, an eccentric character in control of human life “removes” three people. The impression, akin to death, is frightening in its severity. And yet there is a warm belief in human beings to be found in this work, much like everywhere in Sänpäkkilä’s art – not to mention a dollop of unexpected humour. Even the aggressive Kubistisia vittu saatana is ultimately a therapeutic guidance directed at “the sad, the depressed, the sleepless” etc., ending in a short glimpse of a moment when worries will be swept away – worries of any kind.

– Jonni Roos

Format: DVD, Region Free
System: PAL & NTSC*
Total lenght: 80 minutes
Catalogue Number: FR-45
Release: 6.9.2006

*To view the PAL version please insert DVD into your player label side down. To view the NTSC side insert the DVD label up (the “normal” way).

BUY: DVD

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Kaikkeuden kauneus ja käsittämättömyys (The Beauty and Inconceivebility of Everythingness) is the third solo album by Sami Sänpäkkilä. It is released in March 2004 in Finland through Fonal Records and in Belgium through (K-RAA-K)3 Records.

“This album has been in the making for two years. While touring with Es between 2001 and 2003 the concerts were orientated on ambient and drony guitar sounds. Some of these songs were heard on the Dutch VPRO radio stations De Avonden’s 45 minute special on Es and will be recorded later for a release. I record all the time. But because I could not find a way to record the songs I had been playing live I recorded something else. I think it was no sooner than august of 2003 that I realised that I had almost two hours of new material. Recorded on various locations and with equipment varying from the most hi-fi studio to a small Onkyo dictaphone. These songs were different from what I had been playing live. They are more poppy, melodic and the structures are somewhat more conventional. Most importantly they have lyrics. I am still puzzled with this album. It still feels fresh. The songs are almost like thoughts I have mistakenly spoken out aloud, extremely personal and strangely fragile.

There are many sources of sound that can be interpreted as music concrete, pulsars and noise culled from my SETI-at-home processes, hammering in the apartment downstairs, c-vitamins wheeze and scissors cutting my hair. I also used many conventional instruments on this album. One of the most important was a piano which is heard on most of the songs. I do not have a piano so I had to go to my friends to record all the piano parts. This also resulted in many collaborations. All of them my friends and some with no previous musical background. One of the most important collaborations is with my friend and colleague Ville Leinonen with whom I share a similar romantic ideology. Ville sings and has also written the lyrics to the title track of the album with me. Other guests include members from Kemialliset Ystävät and Avarus on various instruments and vocals heard all through the album.

The songs on this album explore the same themes heard on the previous two Es records; melancholy, pathos and hope. The overall mood is darker, gloomier and more ominous. The album is self reflection. It is about trying to create a better place to live in instead of explicitly judging or criticizing the world that we live in.

The paintings, drawings and photographs on the covers, all of them made and given to me by my friends, are an extension to the sound and an essential part of the album. They further explore the music and give an idea of how I see the sound visually. An almost lost shimmer of hope somewhere in the dark corners of the world. A rainbow on every black and white page.

This album is a dedication for the sad, the depressed, the insomniacs, the strayed, the fearful and the lonely. Today, tomorrow.”

– Sami Sänpäkkilä

Format: CD
Total lenght: 46 minutes.
Catalogue Number: FR-28
Released: 2004
ISRC: FI-SSP-04-00001 – 00010

BUY: CD

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The second album from Es aka. Sami Sänpäkkilä. On this album the main source of sound is three turntables bought from fleamarkets 10 dollars a piece. Those and a few effects are the only soundsources that have been used. The athmosphere maintains its course of melancholy through these romantic, and at times heartbreaking sound collages. The adjacent loops that you hear begin to create new dimensions and layers of sound. And when you listen to the song you can almost hear that forgotten melody that you have always searched for in your heart. Recogniceable (and acknowledged) exemplariness can be heard when thinking of such artists as the loop ‘n’ scratch artist Philip Jeck and Terry Riley.

*Bonus song on the 2nd pressing. First appeared on a (K-RAA-K)3 Records label sampler in 2001.

Format: cd
Catalogue Number: FR-17
Released: 2006

BUY: CD

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My first solo release. It was originally put out by myself as an edition of only a 20 or so copies on a CD-R (cover on the right). Kraak records released the CD in Belgium (left cover).

Back in stock. Wow, here’s something I never thought would surface again – the incredibly rare debut cd from none other than Fonal Records boss Sami Sänpäkkilä – finally for our listening pleasure. It originally surfaced in 2000 way back before the words ‘Finnish’ ‘Forest’ and ‘Folk’ were uttered in the same sentence, but here is where you can hear the framework for Sänpäkkilä’s patented sound which was came to such a peak with the gorgeous ‘Sateenkaarisuudelma’. Using a simple combination of electric guitar, synthesizer and no doubt an arsenal of effects pedals and recording devices Sänpäkkilä comes up with a dense soup of trembling psychedelic sound. Admittedly a little more accessible than his mind-altering later works, this nevertheless shows off Sänpäkkilä’s unsurpassed talents for sound manipulation and unusual recording techniques – take the title track ‘Flick’ for example, which takes dissonant cheap synthesizer sounds and throws them over what sounds like the mechanical whirr of a camera. This track is the audio equivalent of watching a mischievously dark animated movie, perhaps made by the Brother’s Quay, and as radio static and barely heard voices begin to push their way into the foreground and guitar dances around playfully you’d be hard pushed not to fall into Sänpäkkilä’s world. Unsurprisingly his work has been compared countless times to that of turntable experimenter Philip Jeck, but here there are definitely audible influences that go far beyond one man’s work – I can hear the early electronic ramblings of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and the musique concrete experimentations of Luc Ferrari in there somewhere as well as a clear knowledge of post-rock forms and it’s this respect and encyclopaedic musical knowledge that sets his work apart from that of his peers. This might not be the most well known of Sami Sänpäkkilä’s albums but it’s a hugely enjoyable experience and a priceless look into how it all began. Beautiful stuff and a huge recommendation! – Boomkat

BUY: Digital

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What About Finland / Nu-Jazz / Electronica CD: Sadepäivät (album version)

Mind The Gap Volume 51 CD: Sadepäivät (album version)

Das Dreidimensionale Möbiusband 2xCD
Track: Kukat ovat hyviä kuuntelijoita (remix of Les Fleurs Sont Des Bonnes Auditrices)

Avantometric Attachments 2002 CD
Track: Universaali Univaje

Avanto 2001 CD: Experimental songcycles #1-5

Avanto-00 CD
Track: Kukat ovat hyviä kuuntelijoita (remix of Les Fleurs Sont Des Bonnes Auditrices)

Dream Magazine #2 CD
Track: Puutarhaan laskeutuu höyhen (remix)

(K-RAA-K)3 Label Sampler CD
Track: Suuri höyhen

Limited CD
Track: La Femme

A Fonal Records Compilation CS
Tracks: Eette, Paraoranssi Released Fonal Records (1996)
“This tape compilation is long sold out. It had two poppy tracks I did with my 4-track tape recorder. Other artists on the compilation were Kiila and Slaughterhouse Quintet.” – Sami

American Breakbeat: Rebuilt 2xCD:
No eyes, no matter (remix of Fingernail track)

Pekka Airaksinen: Madam I’m Adam 2CD:
Suvarnabhasagarbha (remix)

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