SOLITI 2019: THE END OF YEAR LISTS
Aleksi Pahkala (Local Al)
Sucession (Season 2) HBO
The best TV series in years, season two was magical.
Astrid Swan: Viimeinen kirjani BOOK & Swan/Koistinen (+Pallett) EP
Astrid Swan’s book is the most touching and beautiful book of the year (still only in Finnish), also Astrid Swan’s & Stina Koistinen’s EP featuring Owen Pallett was amazing and their performance at Flow Festival 2019 was just perfect.
Greta Thunberg (Time Person of the Year) Global Climate Strikes
All the respect and full support in the world to Greta Thunberg and the youth of the whole planet!
The Lighthouse Movie + Soundtrack
A psychological and somehow enjoyable horror film directed by Robert Eggers and starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Patterson. Just amazing! The haunting soundtrack by Mark Korven was released by Sacred Bones and is one of my favourite vinyls of 2019.
Running
My goal this year was same as last year: to run at least 100km/month, a few half marathons and just enjoy the art of urban running while listening to music or podcasts on my headphones.
Zane Lowe / Beats 1 Radio
I am a huge radio fan, and of course I used to be a radio person for 15 years myself on Radio Helsinki. Nowadays I enjoy my radio on demand, mainly listening to Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio. This year Zane Lowe’s program has been my ultimate favourite – also Matt Wilkinson and Mike D rule on Beats 1.
Panda Bear – Playing The Long Game
I write about new music daily, the one song I listened to the most this year was this Panda Bear greatness!
Local Al Band
Local Al started as my bedroom project, but now I also have a band. I still play solo gigs, but nothing beats playing with a great band full of good friends. Local Al band’s core members are Mummypowder man Janne Lehtinen, my dear bass partner Lasse Kiehelä (The Duplo!, ex-Gim Kordon) and the drummer Janne Nissilä (Elias Gould, ex-Mummypowder, ex-The Duplo!, Gim Kordon, Vesta, Gracias) Also my mates Alexandros Karoutsos and Tommi Lehtonen are sometimes in the band. The next Local Al ep will be with the whole band.
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Billie Eilish’s album is the biggest album of 2019 world wide no doubt. It’s just amazing and massive.
Hayden Thorpe – Diviner
The album I listened to the most in 2019, so it must be the best album of the whole year.
Thom Yorke – Anima
The album I listened to second most in 2019 was Thom Yorke’s great solo album. One of the best things he’s done since his first solo album and Radiohead’s classics Kid A and In Rainbows.
Bon Iver: i,i
This year was more about listening to songs and not albums, plenty of great albums were released. Although Bon Iver did not top his previous masterpiece the i,i was a good, good album.
Sturgill Simpson: Sound & Fury ALBUM + MOVIE
The alt country star Sturgill Simpson and his band drank some gasoline and mixed the shit with some Japanese comics. Sound & Fury was one of the best rock & roll albums of the year and the Netflix movie is not to be missed!
FKA Twigs – Magdalene
FKA Twigs’ second album was worth the long wait. A few perfect singles and some classic album tracks.
Pykäri: Pumped Up With Memories (feat. Nick Triani) SONG
The Finnish hit pop producer Pykäri of Regina fame released an interesting solo album filled with fashion pop, hip-hop and this amazing indie rock gem starring Soliti boss Nick Triani.
Eggstone: The Late
One of my favourite Swedish indie pop bands from the 90’s made a comeback with this amazing track.
Teenage Fanclub: Everything Is Falling Apart
Teenage Fanclub are the greatest band on the planet. Everything Is Falling Apart is their first track without Gerry Love.
Big Thief – Forgotten Eyes
One of the best indie pop songs of 2019
Louie Blue – Confused
Louie Blue is a new modern blue eyed soul singer/songwriter from Turku, Finland. He released three great singles in 2019. The first single Confused blew my mind.
Chisu – Momentum Trilogy + Post Momentum EP
The Finnish pop star Chisu made a bold move when taking distance from Finnish schlager pop and released three interesting EP’s. They might sound a little too much Billie Eilish-like from time to time, but anyway it’s great to hear an arena filling artist take a little more artistic direction in their music.
Yeboyah – Aili
Yeboyah’s Elovena EP was one of the bests thing that happened to Finnish hip-hop in 2019. My most loved track from the ep was Aili.
Tame Impala’s singles
Tame Impala released four singles in 2019 and they were all amazing. Can’t wait to hear the new album in 2020.
Suad – White Lies
The Finnish singer/songwriter Suad’s single for 2019 was one of the best indie rock tunes that Finland offered in 2019.
Pyhimys & Saimaa – Ylös alas outo lumo
Hip-hop star Pyhimys is the most streamed artist in Finland, the popular hip-hop pop star released an interesting album with pop-prog band Saimaa. ‘Ylös alas outo lumo’ was not a single – don’t know why, it’s such a classic tune.
Slowthai – Nothing great about Britain
Slowhtai’s album was maybe best thing outta the Brexit land this year.
