Both Janne Lappalainen (Lappländer) and Visa Uotila (Ancylus) have over two decades of history with electronic music. When Lappländer's latest album Loppu ja alku was being prepared for release on Luola, the artists noticed that they share a musical language. Eventually an idea of a split release was generated and it took its form in the summer of 2020 during the global coronavirus pandemic, in exceptional circumstances.
Veden varaan ("to become suspended or immersed in or carried by water") is a product of the digital age, a joint collaboration that was entirely created by working remotely. The initial plans were discussed on the phone and by email and the final track was constructed by sending files back and forth.
Water was chosen as the overall theme. Lappländer's songs were born at the summer cottage by water. Vedenväki by Ancylus was composed and recorded entirely in Kortepohja, Jyväskylä, near the rugged shorelines of lake Tuomiojärvi.
The collaboration track Yksi tuhansista järvistä was composed during the summer of 2020, when both artists spent a lot of time on shores and in forests, trying to avoid crowds and the virus that had changed the world. The track is a refreshing dip into a summery, tranquil, glittering lake.
Janne Lappalainen has been making electronic music under the alias Lappländer for almost 20 years. He has also made music for art exhibitions, designed sound installations and created experimental soundscapes for the Finnish national broadcast company Yle. He also describes himself as an old punk-rocker. Ancylus is Visa Uotila's solo project inspired mostly by different natural phenomena, from the microscopic to the cosmic, and especially the nature and landscapes of Finnish Lapland. It is a lifelong study trip into the art of music and sound. Uotila has also worked as a sound designer in the lively theatre scene of Jyväskylä, Finland, in both amateur and professional productions. He is also a co-founder of the Luola record label and a co-owner of the parent label Luova Records.
Cover art & layout: Antti Lämsä