Interview for Culture Asylum magazine, from Autumn 2007.

The Finnish mastermind of Electronica and Experimental music is back. Niko Skorpio has been making insane music since 1998 and has kept going strong. His new release titled Escape From Heaven , is a haunting journey into the mind of a madman. The release doesn’t stay calm on the contrary it is diverse with hard elements and ambient element; A tapestry of aural genius using the music as a pallet in which to draw the colors onto the CD. Each track has its own intensity and is constructed rather well. The production on this CD is crystal clear and it comes at you from all directions. I was honored to be able to talk with such an interesting performer of this branch of music.

Sonically Having Your Brains Smashed In By Niko Skorpio

1. CA: What bands or projects were involved with before doing your own vision?

I was primarily involved in Thergothon (1990-1993), Cold Once Turning Dust (1993-1997) and This Empty Flow (1994-1996). I left all groups in 1996-97 to pursue a path of my own, to keep the vision pure and undiluted. There were some other projects in the early 90′s as well, but nothing else worth remembering really.

2. CA: What are some of the collaborations that you have been involved with concerning other musicians or bands?

I do Haeretici 7o74 with Ovro (a Finnish experimental artist) and Rajapïnta with Ibro Terzic (a Bosnian/Finnish experimental artist). I’m involved in Kaaos in Eccentris which is a kind of improvisation group with a fluctuating line-up. I also used to be involved in Helsinki Computer Orchestra which was a group of about 20-25 people with computers as instruments. Then there have been some one-off live and studio collaborations with several artists, and currently there’s quite a bit of things in their initial stages, things I think are better left untold until they’ve evolved a bit further.

3. CA: What does your stage show consist of and does it vary?

I’ve had a break from concerts this year to concentrate on studio work and other things that needed taking care of, but I’m planning to return to stage next year… and whereas I used to perform mostly solo in 2003-2006, in the future I’ll have a live crew to share some responsibilities. The solo gigs were generally fine but tended to end up a bit exhausting and restricted, as I had to take care of everything myself.

Anyways, yes the show did and does vary. Every gig I’ve done was different from one another, with something exclusive in every set. I attempt to keep things interesting for myself and the audience. The nature of the venue or surroundings also plays a part in what the set is going to include.

4. CA: What is the message you are trying to convey through your music?

There’s no specific message as such. What I’m trying to do is communicate certain visions and ideas that are being transmitted from… somewhere. Instead of telling a story I’m interested in creating an environment where the listener can experience things and interpret them according to their particular reality tunnel. To quote David Lynch, the idea is everything. It may be kind of abstract, nothing really concrete to put a finger on but yet something powerful that grasps the attention, alters or widens perception and provides a new kind of experience.

5. CA: What is the overall music scene like in Finland?

The mainstream is mostly pop, metal, schlager and all that, not that interesting I’m afraid. But the experimental underground is quite active with plenty of artists doing their thing. There’s quite a healthy noise scene, some excellent dark ambient artists and quite a bit of interesting experimental / live electronics artists around. I have good connections to various artists of different kinds, but I feel quite detached from any scenes as such. Unless you can call the Some Place Else artist family a scene of its own…

6. CA: Will you ever play the States?

I’d love to! However, nothing is planned, for now. And considering I’d rather do special one-off shows than any kind of “touring”, the chances may be rather slim. But I’m open for serious offers.

7. CA: Where was Escape From Heaven recorded at?

Escape from Heaven took a long time to complete, and it was being sculpted in various locations, mostly in my home studio(s) wherever I used to live in at the time. A lot of the material was created out of field recordings from various surroundings, subsequently mutated in the studio.

8. CA: How does the creative process work for creating a piece?

There are a lot of variables so each case is a bit different… but in general, first there is an idea, often nothing concrete, fully formed, but a mere feeling of something that is to come, something that needs attention and work to take shape and become complete. I then start recording and sound-sculpting, and all along the way try to keep my mind open and look around to see where it wants to go. Sometimes some scattered remains of another piece end up on a new one. Sometimes the idea for a new piece comes from an otherwise purposeless jam session. Sometimes something completely unexpected happens, like a glitch or a mistake that changes the course of the work, and after following the new trails I realize that was the only viable way to take, to have the song completed.

9. CA: Have you noticed a larger fan base with the release of Escape From Heaven ?

I think Escape from Heaven has gathered quite a bit of new ground, then again I don’t really know much about my supposed fan base. But we’ve received lots of positive reactions to this album, and the sales have been good too.

10. CA: What influences are drawn to create the insane music of Niko Skorpio?

I don’t know about influences… composing and sound sculpting is like communication with some unknown (or known, sometimes…) entity, or acting as the receiver of some kind of information that is being transmitted. I don’t know where it comes from. Sometimes books and movies can be quite influential, and real-life experiences as well, naturally.

11. CA: Have you ever received airplay or been played in any clubs?

From what I know of, there are some experimental radio shows and industrial clubs here and there around Europe who play some of my stuff occasionally, but other than that I don’t know. A couple of Finnish nationwide radio channels air some of my music sometimes, and they also used a couple of my tunes for a radio documentary of some kind. I fail to remember the details.

12. CA: What are your beliefs or ideals spiritually and non spiritually that may come across through your music?

I don’t follow any predetermined path or such, but my thoughts and ideas tend to resonate with certain Pagan and Thelemic ideals. Some of this is likely to filter through to my work, perhaps more or less cloaked, but I bet those who are similarly inclined can easily read the signs.

13. CA: Can you tell us a little bit about each of your releases for the readers?

The past releases are kind of scattered around, but now that we have just been compiling and remastering various EPs and and other rare stuff to be reissued as more ‘coherent’ albums next year, I can introduce them easily.

Escape from Heaven (2006)
For me, this is the best and most complete work I have come up with in my history. I would recommend this as the starting point to people not familiar with my work. It is a very personal conceptual album that is mostly about the struggle for freedom and how much one is willing to sacrifice to gain that freedom. It is related to various events that happened to me at the time, the phase(s) of life I was going through, and at the same time it portrays the myths of the so-called fallen angels.

Short Cuts & Dead Ends (reissue for 2008)
Compiles Stainway to Heaven & ChAmber MooSick EPs and other material from around 2000-2005. This can be seen as a kind of “shadow album” to Escape from Heaven, being that the material is from the same period and there are several parallel things and internal connections. By the way Escape from Heaven was originally designed to be a twin-EP to Stainway to Heaven, but things changed and everything turned out differently.

Grey Bloom Complete (reissue for 2008)
Grey Bloom was originally released as a 4-track LP in 1998. It was meant to be followed by another LP which due to circumstances remained unreleased. Grey Bloom Complete compiles the material of both of these albums (recorded 1995-1998) on one full CD. This album represents the early stages of my solo work, and paints a rather crude, muddy, grey picture about depression, but also about how to overcome depression.

Book of Flies (reissue for 2008)
Book of Flies is the recording of a live performance from 2004, originally released as a CDR that came in an old book, only 13 copies were ever made. We’ve received lots of demands about this, and so decided to include it to the reissue schedule.

Apart from these, there have been some other releases, too:

The Hidden Nameless (2005)
This album was recorded in 2003-2004, licensed for release on a Polish label, however it only came out in late 2005. The album has lived up to its title: the label did no promotion for it whatsoever, and thus it remains hidden and nameless indeed… The album is more or less similar to Book of Flies in that it is partially based on the same source material. However, as it is a studio version, the approach and execution is quite different.

Live in Placard #7 (2004)
This is a split live album with Ovro. We performed on the Placard #7 Headphone Festival in early 2004 and this is the recording of that. First there’s Ovro’s half-hour set and then, through a brief collaboration passage it morphs into my set. We were quite satisfied with how the recording turned out, so we decided to release it on CD. The interlude was actually my first ever collaboration with Ovro, so this album also represents the germination of Haeretici 7o74.

There’s also various other stuff but I’d rather not elaborate on those at this time. Those interested in digging out trivia will find all they need in the www.

14. CA: What are your thoughts in concern to the music scene is it evolving or remaining stagnant?

I don’t know about scenes, but music in general is always evolving. It’s like a living organism. As long as it evolves, it’s alive and well. Repeating old things is for ghosts and zombies, I’m all for evolution!

15. CA: When should we expect another release from you and is it sticking in the same direction as Escape From Heaven?

I have just completed a new album, and there is more stuff up & coming. No release dates yet, but perhaps some small-edition stuff will be out by the end of the year, and more early next year. The new material is so fresh that I cannot yet compare it with my previous works, but probably the new one will be perceived more abstract and amorphous than Escape from Heaven.

16. CA: What are your thoughts on religion and politics being in the musical forum?

I’m not interested in having things shoven down my throat, neither am I willing to do that to others. At the same time, I’m all for freedom of expressing an opion. I see Ministry being a positive example of a political band.

17. CA: What is your stance on drugs?

My stance is that it’s anyone’s personal business what they choose to use or not to use, not to forget that one is responsible for his or her actions whether on some substance or not.

18. CA: Any other projects that you happen to be working on apart from your music?

Graphic design is my main income, so that’s what I’m usually working on apart from music… album covers, web sites, illustration and so on. I also paint and do other kinds of visual stuff. Some photography. And the secret stuff I’m not allowed to talk about. An important future project is to have a new roof for our headquarters.

19. CA: How would our readers be able to find out more about Niko Skorpio and how to purchase your material?

The easiest way to do it is the web of course, check out my website (www.nikoskorpio.net) and my label’s site (www.someplaceelse.net). Some Place Else is my label and the direct source where people can order my releases and related stuff online. In the States, some mailorders such as Malignant Records, Ear/Rational, Crucial Blast and The End Records may carry some releases, but usually it won’t be found in your regular record store I’m afraid. I wouldn’t have anything against being properly distributed, but we’re totally lousy when it comes to promotion… and I’m aware that this musick is not the safest bet for those who just want to make a quick buck. Then again remaining “esoteric” certainly has its good sides, and yet, thanks to the Internet, everything is available for those who want to take the trouble and dig a bit deeper…

20. CA: Are you a trained musician or a self taught musician?

I’m self taught at what I do, although I wouldn’t call myself a musician at all. I think a musician is someone who knows his or her instrument throughout and can play whatever is needed for a musical composition. I see myself more like a composer or sound sculptor, as I’m no expert on any instrument or musical theory etc. I just doodle on anything at hand until I get the sounds I need, that’s all.

21. CA: What bands or musicians are you listening to that you could recommend to us to watch out for?

Recently I’ve enjoyed listening to Sussan Deyhim, Skincage, lots of Bill Laswell and his various projects, Coil, Fela Kuti, Lietterschpich, Recoil, Moljebka Pvlse, the two latest Ministry albums… and lots of other stuff I fail to remember right now.

As a little plug – I’m biased but honest here – I really enjoy the new collaboration albums from Gelsomina & No Xivic and Bardoseneticcube & Noises of Russia, they will be released very soon on my label Some Place Else. I also warmly recommend checking out my closest collaborators Ovro and Ibrahim Terzic, they’re both amazing, pure geniuses at what they do and always bring about amazing results!

22. CA: Any final words that you would like to share with us?

Thanks, I spoke too much already, let the musick do the talking!

Thank you Niko Skorpio for taking the time to talk with us about your music and philosophies; Never have I heard such a musician that create unsettling yet compelling music at the same time. This is a creation in sound and insanity that transcends the boundaries of what Electronica music actually is. Check out Escape From Heaven and The Hidden Nameless to hear what I’m talking about. Turn your lights off and turn the music up loud and allow yourself to fully experience the haunting world of Niko Skorpio.

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