Arttu Talks

Music

Finnish DJ and producer Arttu (formally known as Lump) joins support act Sisterhood at Dance Tunnel this Saturday. From his upbringing in Northern Finland restricted by long winter months and vast physical distance between himself and the new dance music sounds coming out of both the UK and the US, to his many years lived in London, Arttu has developed his unique sound that stems from a deep love of acid house and bleeping techno. We asked him all about music filtering up to Finland, analogue hardware and remixing Sisterhood…

What prompted your recent move from London to Lisbon?

Stopping my day job and building a studio to make beats all day long would not have been possible in busy busy London town, I’m afraid. Since then I’ve migrated to Berlin via beautiful yet distant New Zealand.

What was your favourite club or clubnight when you lived here? Either as a DJ or as a clubber…

I love London’s diversity … it was just amazing to go to see something like Aba Shanti soundsystem. Scalp vibrating bass.

How did you get into working in animation and is it something you can ever see yourself going back to?

I quite liked holding a pencil in my hand ever since I was wee little boy. One thing led to another… but right now it is time to make some beats.

Tell us three things we really ought to know about your hometown of Oulu in northern Finland…

Well… three things is a bit pushing it but I believe Oulu has the most northern reggae bar on the planet.

Did much, and if so what, dance music filter up to northern Finland in your youth?

There was one good record shop that used to get some acid house and early techno records in. My friend and I also used a fax machine to communicate directly with record companies and order records from them. That was late 80’s and early 90’s. Times before the inter-webs have made things a bit easier.

How much influence would you say your Finnish origins have on the music you make?

Maybe a little bit, but then again maybe not so much after all.

You DJ all around Europe and beyond, which city have you found most welcoming?

He he… I can’t say that I’ve really been to a place that has been unwelcoming yet. Everywhere I meet honest lovely people who do what they do for the love of music. It is humbling to experience.

How did “Arttu” as a musical project spin out from your previous alias “Lump”?

One beautiful day I accidentally deleted all of my music like a mofo. Only two tracks were backed up. Those tracks became the first Arttu release on Philpot just over two years ago. Lump was history.

What is your favourite or most trusted piece of analogue hardware?

Ooh ah, that would have to be my dusty trusty space echo… hissing and rattling away like a trooper.

How did you come to remix Sisterhood and what can we expect from your set at Dance Tunnel following on from them?

Matt from Tief asked for a remix. I loved the original and thought that a remix would be great fun to do and so it was!