“With membership rights to a number of different bands and outfits, Jonna Karanka's reputation in the 21st Century Finnish underground is well established to say the least. (...) A work of real imagination and vision.” Plz Tell Me -reviewed at Juno Records -site, 2020
“Karanka’s dreamily cracked songs are her strength, and they ache with the melancholy of the best acid folk chanteuses the 70’s had to offer.” Jim Haynes, The Wire 268, June 2006
Kuupuu is a solo-project by Finnish musician and visual artist Jonna Karanka. Her work blends improvisation, lo-fi aesthetics and electro-acoustic elements to create hypnotic, dreamlike soundscapes. Active in the underground and experimental music scenes for over two decades, her work has garnered recognition both in Finland and internationally.
Her records have been released on such labels as KRAAK (Belgium), EM Records (Japan), Time-Lag Records (USA) and Dekorder (Germany). She has performed in KRAAK Festival (Brussels), ISSUE Project Room (NYC), Flow Festival (Helsinki), Fylkingen (Stockholm), Museo do Chiado (Lisbon) etc. She also plays in Olimpia Splendid (with Heta Bilaletdin and Katri Sipiläinen), Black Bikini (with Pentti Dassum), Hockey Night (with Arttu Partinen, Sami Pekkola and Jaakko Tolvi) Kukkiva Poliisi (with Johanna Ketola, Annika Lintervo, Johanna Lonka, Inka Yli-Tepsa) and Hertta Lussu Ässä (with Merja Kokkonen and Laura Naukkarinen). She has also made sounds with Avarus, The Anaksimandros, Way of the Cross, Kemialliset Ystävät and IAX. She was one of the producer’s on Draama-Helmi kuistilla -record that won the Teosto Prize in 2023.
︎ Kuupuu interview for the Avant-guardian, 2020
︎ Olimpia Splendid live at Sonic City, 2017
︎ Hertta Lussu Ässä interview for the Pitchfork, 2011
︎ Al Jazeera documentary on “Finland Forest Folk”, 2009
︎ Kuupuu interview for the Avant-guardian, 2020
︎ Olimpia Splendid live at Sonic City, 2017
︎ Hertta Lussu Ässä interview for the Pitchfork, 2011
︎ Al Jazeera documentary on “Finland Forest Folk”, 2009
︎
DISCOGRAPHY
OLIMPIA SPLENDID: 2, digi & LP, Fonal Records & KRAAK, 2023
DRAAMA-HELMI: Draama-Helmi kuistilla, tape & digi & LP, Helmi-levyt, 2022
MARC RICHTER: MM∞XX Vol.1 & 2, CD, Cellule 75, 2022
KUUPUU: PLZ tell me, LP & digi, KRAAK, 2020
KUUPUU: PLZ tell me, tape & digi, self-released, 2019
GP & PLS: 100% PRO-MONARCHIST X-TRA KONE RADIO, LP, Pork Salad Press, 2019
KEMIALLISET YSTÄVÄT: Siipi empii, LP, Ikuisuus, 2018
V/A: Neptunalia, LP, Ikuisuus & Lal Lal Lal, 2018
KUUPUU: Balsam / Rat Baby Baby, 7” ep, Vauva, 2015
BLACK BIKINI: s/t, CD, Musik Atlach, 2015
MATOMERI: Ybermudan kolmiossa, tape, Ikuisuus, 2014
HOCKEY NIGHT: Substitution Infraction, tape, self-released, 2014
KUUPUU: Sisar, LP, EM Records, 2013
KUUPUU: Sous juju, 2 X CD, EM Records, 2013
OLIMPIA SPLENDID: Nuttu nurin, 7” ep, Fonal Records, 2013
HOCKEY NIGHT: Neutral Zone Trap, LP, Ikuisuus, 2013
KUUPUU / UMPIO, split tape, Nekorecords, 2012
V/A: Below The Radar, digi, Wire Magazine, 2012
HOCKEY NIGHT: Playing With Too Many Sticks, tape, self-released, 2011
HERTTA LUSSU ÄSSÄ: s/t, LP, De Stijl, 2011
V/A: Den Nørrejyske Øs Stororkester For Opløst Mønstermusik - Samling Værktøj, digi, Yoyooyoy, NSOM, Lille Kommune, 2011
KUUPUU: Spring High Spiritual Spree Spray Ray, tape, Cabin Floor Esoterica, 2010
KUUPUU: Kuupuu live 19.11.2009, CD, Unsound Recordings, 2010
KUUPUU: Lumen tähden, CD & LP, Time-Lag Records, 2009
KUUPUU / SMACK MUSIC 7, split tape, Threshold Tapes, 2009
BLACK TO COMM: Alphabet 1968, CD & LP, Type, 2009
KUUPUU: Tinakenkälurtta, tape, Lady Garden, 2008
JONNA KARANKA & JAAKKO TOLVI: Kaappirausku / Albiinobambi, cdr, self-released, 2008
WAY OF THE CROSS: Mind Of The Dolphin, LP, Phoenix, 2008
BLACK TO COMM: Fractal Hair Geometry, CD & LP, Dekorder, 2008
V/A: Larm: From Mouth To Cavity Laptop, 2xCD, Kning Disk, 2007
V/A: Broken Brain, cdr, Chocolate Monk, 2007
V/A: Cris Et Chuchotements, cdr, Crier Dans Les Musées, 2007
KUUPUU: Tour musik, cdr, self-released, 2007
KUUPUU: Unilintu, LP, Dekorder, 2007
KUUPUU: Yökehrä, LP, Dekorder, 2006
V/A: Women Take Back The Noise, CD, UBUIBI, 2006
V/A: Qbico Unite V 11.5.2006, Dynamo klubi, Turku, Finland, LP, Qbico, 2006
LUSSU JA MAGNEETTI, s/t, cdr, self-released, 2006
V/A: Maan matoset, CD, Pohjoisten kukkaisten äänet, 2005
DIRECTING HAND: Love Will Waste My Body, cdr, Memoirs Of An Aesthete, 2005
AVARUS: Ruskeatimantti, 2xCD, Tumult, 2005
V/A: Gold Leaf Branches, 3xCD, Digitalis Recordings, 2005
KUKKIVA POLIISI: Ilola, cdr, Audiobot, 2005
KUKKIVA POLIISI: Kukkiva Poliisi, tape, Monopolka & Ej tu dirst, 2005
KUUPUU: Kulta sulka, cdr, self-released, 2005
KUUPUU: Illusia, 7” ep, Time-Lag Records, 2005
KUUPUU: Hätä hotilla, cdr, self-released, 2005
THE ANAKSIMANDROS: River Of Finland, LP, Eclipse Records, 2004
KUUPUU: i can walk the dark, 3” cdr, Foxglove, 2004
KUUPUU: Kevätlauluja, cdr, self-released, 2004
KUUPUU: Sateen suutelemat, tape, Nidnod, 2004
KUUPUU: s/t, cdr, self-released, 2003
KUKKIVA POLIISI: s/t, cdr, self-released, 2003
V/A: The Invisible Pyramid, 2XCD, The Last Visible Dog, 2003
AVARUS: Luonnon ilmiöitä, 7” ep, Boing Being & Kuusi pientä kustantajaa, 2002
︎