Jori Hulkkonen Simple Music For Complicated People

My Favourite Robot Records

It’s been 25 years since revered Finnish synth obsessive, Jori Hulkkonen started making music. More than two decades on from the release of his debut offering, he’s unleashed his 21st studio album, Simple Music For Complicated People – another wildly diverse and absorbing exploration of synth-heavy concoctions. His idiosyncratic sound bleeds house, techno, dub, ambient, pop, synth and classical all into one another effortlessly. Hulkkonen sews drama, tension and emotion into each track, taking a winding, meandering journey through the subconscious. Manipulated sounds, murky reverb, warm melodies, stretched out synth lines, deep bass and beautifully constructed rhythms all fuse together to create a soundscape that is as fascinating as it is unpredictable. At times eerie and otherworldly, whilst at others driving, playful, hypnotic, groovy or introverted, the record shifts through moods and tempos as effortlessly as it does time periods. In fact, it’s so unique that it pulls off the impressive feat of sounding both retro and futuristic all at once. As with all of Hulkkonen’s work, there is a distinct cinematic edge, his expansive and immersive soundscapes offering an almost visual land to arrive in and explore. A wonderful and addictive album that whisks you away from the real world, Simple Music For Complicated People is Jori Hulkkonen in a nutshell.

ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST: 6n Jaakaappi, Plastic Freedom, UFO For Africa|

9/10