FRIDAY / 03.30 - 04.30
From his vantage point in the Helsinki underground, Kaspiann has forged a psychedelic techno sound driven by a DIY attitude and unbound by limitations of tempo. Running the VALA label, performing live, building his own soundsystem and organising parties, he follows a holistic musical practice with a specific scene in mind — the full-body immersion and psychological surrender of a deep, compelling club music transmitted through a dimly-lit, hazy space over an imposing, physical soundsystem. It’s a multi-sensory ideal which can accommodate his low-speed experiments as much as his fast-paced meditations, whether it’s a steady 4/4 pulse guiding the music or the refracted intrigue of more complex rhythmic structures.
Kaspiann’s immersion in electronic music tracks back over more than half his life, and you might hear whispers of his earlier infatuations with trance and psy in his elegant, contemporary productions. His first public offerings as Kaspiann came with releases on Planet Rhythm and TGP, but it’s with the establishment of VALA in 2021 he started to shape out a more defined artistic trajectory. Striking a balance between tough, impactful club sounds and more introspective tones and textures, Kaspiann embodies the spirit of his dual perspective on the thriving clubs of Helsinki and the warehouse and outdoor parties of the underground scene.
That versatility in his sound applies especially to his frequently performed live sets, which can veer from delicate percussive ambient and downtempo up to peak-time techno pitched towards a deeper dancefloor. Varying speeds and rhythms can comfortably sit alongside each other in these explorations, much like they can on his releases. It’s an approach which aligns with the thriving wave of hypnotic, transcendental techno emerging globally, and his sets and tracks have been recognised by scene leaders in that regard. But Kaspiann comes at the sound from a unique angle, bringing his inspiration and experience to bear on a creative stamp which prizes total immersion and sonic experimentation above all else.
