Islaja // Entertainment for the braindead

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Islaja: "S U U" - record release show

Entertainment For The Braindead

DJs Gudrun Gut / Heidi Mortenson

Doors 20:00 - Start 21:00 | AK 10 € | VVK 9 € (via koka36 oder amSTARt) | @facebook

Islaja (Merja Kokkonen), präsentiert ihre neue - diesmal sehr elektronisch geratene - Platte "S U U" (Monika Enterprise)! Das Mensch-Musik-Chamäleon hat sich dazu schöne Gäste eingeladen: Die kölnische Kaffeemaschinen- und Loopkünstlerin Entertainment For The Braindead und als DJs Labelboss Gudrun Gut und Produzentin Heidi Mortenson.

The new album of the Finnish producer and composer ISLAJA marks a radical transition for the former folk musician into a solo-artist who skillfully arranges lyrics, melodies and imagery into a much more electronic style than she has been known for in the past. The album is called S U U which is Finnish for “mouth”, and ISLAJA's bold vocal style and lyrical content will make you want to tune in to what's coming from her S U U.
ISLAJA has been part of the contemporary music scene for several years already producing wonderfully arranged surreal pop-tracks in her solo work as in Keraaminen Pää 2010 as well as in collaboration with other musicians as the Hertta Lussu Ässä project in 2011, released on De Stijl (USA) or recently as a contributor to AGF's Kuuntele compilation in 2013. In total she has previously had four full length albums on Finnish label Fonal plus one on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! Records.

The songs on S U U are so full of surprises one doesn't really know what to expect next, so her current metamorphosis falls right in line with ISLAJA’s nature. While mystical aspects were mainly expressed in older work through lyrics with strong links to Finnish mythology, they now appear on the compositional level and in vocals driving the beats into forward moving tracks ever permeated with a sensation of the unreal. The low-pitched voice is somewhat reminiscent of the late great Nico, and the presence of synthesized sounds also evokes references to 80s New-Wave and Pop. Nevertheless ISLAJA's work is by no means retro, rather it creates a unique and unusual atmosphere. Her sound is as intriguing and humorous as it is original.

Video "Skeleton Walk" | islaja.com

Entertainment For The Braindead ist das Soloprojekt der in Berlin lebenden Koelnerin Julia Kotowski. Seit 2007 hat sie sich, dem sperrigen Namen zum Trotz, den ganz leisen Toenen verschrieben, die sie mit einem Sammelsurium an kleinen Instrumenten, Haushaltsutensilien und Fieldrecordings zusammenwebt und unter freien Lizenzen veroeffentlicht.
Auf der Buehne wird sie mittels Loopsampler zu ihrer eigenen Begleitband, schichtet behutsam Instrumentalspuren zu Arrangements und singt darueber mit sich selbst im Chor.   entertainmentforthebraindead.com