“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 DISCOGRAPHY
PLZ tell me, LP & digi, KRAAK, 2020
PLZ tell me, tape & digi, self-released, 2019
Balsam / Rat Baby Baby, 7” ep, Vauva, 2015
Sisar, LP, EM Records, 2013
Sous juju, 2 X CD, EM Records, 2013
Kuupuu / Umpio, split tape, Nekorecords, 2012
Spring High Spiritual Spree Spray Ray, tape, Cabin Floor Esoterica, 2010
Kuupuu live 19.11.2009, CD, Unsound Recordings, 2010
Lumen tähden, CD & LP, Time-Lag Records, 2009
Kuupuu / Smack music 7, split tape, Threshold Tapes, 2009
Tinakenkälurtta, tape, Lady Garden, 2008
Tour musik, cdr, self-released, 2007
Unilintu, LP, Dekorder, 2007
Yökehrä, LP, Dekorder, 2006
Kulta sulka, cdr, self-released, 2005
Illusia, 7” ep, Time-Lag Records, 2005
Hätä hotilla, cdr, self-released, 2005
i can walk the dark, 3” cdr, Foxglove, 2004
Kevätlauluja, cdr, self-released, 2004
Sateen suutelemat, tape, Nidnod, 2004
s/t, cdr, self-released, 2003
ALSO APPERING ON
OLIMPIA SPLENDID: 2, LP, Fonal Records & KRAAK, 2023
KEMIALLISET YSTÄVÄT: Siipi empii, LP, Ikuisuus, 2018
V/A: Neptunalia, LP, Ikuisuus & Lal Lal Lal, 2018
BLACK BIKINI: s/t, CD, Musik Atlach, 2015
HOCKEY NIGHT: Substitution Infraction, CS, self-released, 2014
MATOMERI: Ybermudan kolmiossa, CS, Ikuisuus, 2014
HOCKEY NIGHT: Neutral Zone Trap, LP, Ikuisuus, 2013
OLIMPIA SPLENDID: Nuttu nurin, 7” ep, Fonal Records, 2013
HERTTA LUSSU ÄSSÄ: s/t, LP, De Stijl, 2011
HOCKEY NIGHT: Playing With Too Many Sticks, CS, self-released, 2011
BLACK TO COMM: Alphabet 1968, CD & LP, Type, 2009
JONNA KARANKA & JAAKKO TOLVI: Kaappirausku / Albiinobambi, cdr, self-released, 2008
BLACK TO COMM: Fractal Hair Geometry, CD & LP, Dekorder, 2008
WAY OF THE CROSS: Mind Of The Dolphin, LP, Phoenix, 2008
V/A: Larm: From Mouth To Cavity Laptop, 2xCD, Kning Disk, 2007
V/A: Broken Brain, cdr, Chocolate Monk, 2007
V/A: Women Take Back The Noise, CD, UBUIBI, 2006
V/A: Maan matoset, CD, Pohjoisten kukkaisten äänet, 2005
DIRECTING HAND: Love Will Waste My Body, cdr, Memoirs Of An Aesthete, 2005
V/A: Gold Leaf Branches, 3xCD, Digitalis Recordings, 2005
AVARUS: Ruskeatimantti, 2xCD, Tumult, 2005
KUKKIVA POLIISI: Kukkiva Poliisi, CS, Monopolka, Ej tu dirst, 2005
KUKKIVA POLIISI: Ilola, cdr, Audiobot, 2005
THE ANAKSIMANDROS: River Of Finland, LP, Eclipse Records, 2004
KUKKIVA POLIISI: s/t, cdr, self-released, 2003
AVARUS: Luonnon ilmiöitä, 7”EP, Boing Being, Kuusi pientä kustantajaa, 2002
