As we bid farewell to 2023, come along with us for a series of interviews with a few artists. We’ll chat with them about their experiences, challenges, and successes throughout the year. These talks give you a close-up view of what happened in the rock and metal music scene in 2023. We chatted with URAANIPUTKI to see how the rock band have experienced 2023.
URAANIPUTKI released their debut album during 2023, did the band mostly focus on releasing this album during this year?
Yes, we mainly focused on releasing our debut album this year. Summer and fall of 2022 were quite busy as we aimed to handle as much as possible ourselves, including recording and producing. At the beginning of 2023, all the mixes and masters were completed with the assistance of Leevi Kähkönen. He did an amazing job and was very open to our requests. We aimed for an organic and exciting, yet modern feel simultaneously.
Throughout the entirety of 2023, our focus has been on releasing and promoting our new singles and the album. There were some hiccups along the way. Some of the physical recordings we ordered turned out to be faulty, and the cover art was pixelated, requiring resolution. Additionally, the production of music videos faced delays due to various reasons. Despite these challenges, we successfully accomplished most of the important tasks. We also experienced some other highlights, such as our first tour and gigs in Helsinki, Tampere, and Oulu. Special thanks to Paha Kurki and Taikakaulin for joining us!
Apart from releasing your debut album, did you have any other goals set for 2023 and did you manage to achieve them?
We didn’t set any major goals for 2023. Our main focus was on having fun, doing a few gigs, and releasing new music! As a small band, planning things is possible, but often, circumstances change, and you just have to go with the flow.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you learned while creating your debut effort?
Perhaps the most valuable thing we learned during the album process is that we now have a much clearer view of ourselves—of who we want to be and what we want to do. The whole band was initially formed as a joke with the intention of playing “the crappiest punk music ever,” or at least that’s how we remember it. However, as people have grown, there is now more room for some artistic ambition. Additionally, we gained insights into both the technical and creative aspects of producing music. Balancing between handling sensible tasks and letting creative chaos roam free is always a challenging endeavor.
Did you (re-)discover any new music during 2023?
Some new finds local and global – new and old in 2023: DOOMRIDERS, BAABELIN NULKIAT, PAHA KURKI, FONTAINES D.C., SLOWTHAI, and THE CRAMPS.
What can we expect from URAANIPUTKI in 2024?
For 2024, you can expect at least a few new songs, one or two music videos, and hopefully some gigs here and there. In this line of work (not even a business), you can attempt to plan things out, but unexpected opportunities often arise. So, let’s see—stay tuned! Hopefully, the summer will bring some fantastic festival gigs, and the process of producing new music will go smoothly. In fact, we’ve already started recording new songs, so there are definitely some exciting things coming up.
