Playlists

New Indie Music from Finland

Words by Music Finland

Published 3.2.2023

The Finnish indie music scene is blooming with versatility! Some of the internationally known names in the genre are Bobby Oroza, Astrid Swan, Jaakko Eino Kalevi and Jesse Markin, while labels such as Soliti, Playground Music, Svart and Solina bear the torch for Finnish independent music.

Under the admittedly vague umbrella of Finnish indie, you can find anything from 60s influenced psych garage rock to gleaming synth pop, adventurous jazz-influenced art rock, melancholic shoegaze, lo-fi, dream pop and everything in between.

The playlist, available on Apple Music and Spotify, is updated frequently. Please scroll down for artist biographies.

New Indie Music from Finland on Apple Music

New Indie Music from Finland on Spotify

Olimpia Splendid

Fonal Records signees Olimpia Splendid is explained to be "about endless loops, hypnotic bass and sort-of-tune guitar noise, whispering, unruliness, skrikes". The trio was founded in the summer of 2010 in Helsinki and is formed by visual artists and musicians Heta Bilaletdin, Jonna Karanka and Katri Sipiläinen, known from acts like Toblerones, Melmac, Bir iki, Hertta Lussu Ässä, Hockey Night, MYTTYS and Kuupuu. Fonal Records released their 7” ep in 2013 which was followed by a full-length debut in July 2015. Olimpia Splendid returned in 2022 with new two-track ep "Nicotinella".

Thelma's Dream

Helsinki-based dream pop quartet Thelma's Dream released their debut EP "Days of Bloom" in 2021, which was followed by the single "Rooms" in March 2023. Their contemporary dream pop sound is influenced by 90s shoegaze and a bit of americana.

Endiiing

Fresh newcomers Endiiing debuted in March 2023 with the single "The House We Called Our Home". The Helsinki-based duo's emo pop sound instantly brought to mind American counterparts such as Pinegrove, Hop Along or Ratboys – which is indeed rather a great start more than an actual endi(ii)ng.

Sam Shingler

Sam Shingler is a half-Finnish, half-British singer-songwriter hailing from the vibrant music scene of his native Helsinki. During his career Sam has written and performed with various bands and projects, such as The Pansies, Husky Rescue, Montevideo, and more recently The Lieblings and Treemer. Following numerous bands, Sam finally released his solo debut "Strange Security" in 2020. The album was followed with a series of three EP's named "Boundaries I-III" in 2023.

Pearly Drops

Pearly Drops (formerly known as Femme en Fourrure) is the electronic indie pop duo consisting of Sandra Tervonen and Juuso Malin. With concise and sparse compositional methods, ethereal vocal performances underlined by dreamy, precise synths and percussion, Pearly Drops explain to be "in the process of weaving - something made for keeping the hope inside and the unmeaningful at bay".

Radio Supernova

Tampere based act Radio Supernova became somewhat of an underground sensation with their second album "Takaisin" (2021) getting recognized within the international shoegaze and dream pop communities, gaining rave reviews in various online publications. Even the fact that Radio Supernova's vocals are sung in Finnish seems to be more of an advantage than a handicap for the upcoming shoegaze fivesome!

Jonsjooel

Known from the indie folk trio Lake Jons, singer-songwriter Jonsjooel embarks on a solo career. Jonsjooel is set to release his debut solo album, "Lullabies For Younger Self", in 2023. Jonsjooel's sound is an experimental blend of various genres and influences. Drawing on his roots as a jazz drummer, his music defies easy categorization, and is promised to "create a unique and captivating soundscape".

Teksti-TV 666

Is there such a thing as too many guitarists in a band? Finland’s Teksti-TV 666 think not. Armed with no less than five (at times six) electric guitars, Teksti-TV 666 are nowadays one of the most in-demand live acts in Finland, and performances abroad have caused a bit of a storm as well. The band's second studio album, "Vapauden tasavalta", is due in 2023.

Kontio Polaris

Kontio Polaris is an alternative rock band from Helsinki. They released their first single "Brother" in 2021, soon followed by another single "Sleeping with the Waves". The band itself describes their music as a mixture of band-driven music, gentle synths and modern effects.

Silva Emilia

Singer-songwriter Silva Emilia released her debut single "What If We Could Fly" in 2022 as a 17-year-old high schooler. Drawing from classic folk, Silva Emilia's music, on which she plays the piano, violin and guitar parts herself, is acoustic and fragile. That makes a strong contrast to the fact that Silva Emilia mostly listens to 80s and 90s rock bands, such as Oasis, Green Day, Poison and Mötley Crüe. Silva Emilia started playing the violin at the music school when she was 7 years old and wrote her first own songs at the age of 13. At the moment, Silva Emilia is focusing on writing new songs and in her high school studies.

Lake Jons

Indie folk trio Lake Jons uses samples, simple and driving rhythms, delicate guitar progressions and powerful, soulful vocals as the pillars of their sound. After two ep's, Lake Jons released their eponymous debut album in 2018, which was recorded in an isolated cabin deep in the Finnish forest. A second album titled "The Coast" followed in 2019.

Ghosts on TV

Ghosts on TV are a post-rock/indie-rock band from Helsinki. Known for creating their own wall of sound (made by three guitars) combined with a minimalistic, melancholic atmosphere, the band has garnered praise from a wide array of music media. They have toured intensively, from bars and venues in Finland to as far as performing in Russia. Their debut "I Am Not Dead, I Am 55 Today" (2020) combined the elements of shoegaze, intense hypnotic repetition – melding with ambient and post-rock textures. The follow-up album will be released in 2023 on the Soliti record label.

Plastic Tones

DIY power pop foursome Plastic Tones have been describes as "Blondie meeting up with Thin Lizzy in New York ´76". The Helsinki based band released their debut album "Wash Me With Love" in 2017 on Svart Records. Its follow-up appeared in the form of the "Power Pop Testament" album in 2023.

Antinranta

Designer, sound artist and futurist Auri Antinranta takes us to a journey into the polar night. Antinranta’s main instruments are piano and vocals enhanced with emerging technologies. Antinranta is also known for being the lead singer and lyricist for the Finnish progressive rock quartet Tuvalu (2003-2010).

Handshaking

Helsinki based DJ and producer Handshaking combines the sweetness of nostalgic house and contemporary pop with self-aware hints of indie. Handshaking sprinkles cheeky tributes from Finnish countryside culture, like one would expect from an ep named "Garden Clogs", his debut release from 2021. Handshaking's music thrives on honesty, which can feel like a challenge in the often stagnant house music scene.

Pekka Laine

Pekka Laine is a Helsinki-based musician, songwriter, DJ and journalist.As a driving force of The Hypnomen, a band with a cult following, Laine has explored the world of instrumental music since the 1990s. In his intrepid journeys from primitive noise art to the spheres of soulful psychedelia, he now creates music with an electric guitar, the cosmic echoes tying together the primal 1960's space sounds, dub music and weird film soundtracks to form one futuristic continuum.

Emmy June

Emmy June is a self-taught singer-songwriter with her background in roots and soul music as well as the American singer-songwriter tradition and 1990s pop. Emmy June started releasing independent singles around 2020, which eventually led to her debut album "The Spring", released in February 2023, filled with band-driven, "retro-modern" indie pop songs. Emmy June's lyrics revolve around growing pains of youth and different forms of human relationships, for example.

Pastis

Pastis is a five-man band from Helsinki drawing influences extensively from genres such as 60s merseybeat, 90s britpop as well as the current indie landscape. Pastis released their debut EP "Four Stories" in 2017, which was followed by the album "Circles" in 2019 and their eponymous sophomore full-length in 2023. The band has already found their way into BBC's Steve Lamaq's show, among other accomplishments.

NOOA

The story of Helsinki-based indie pop band NOOA started in 2016 when singer Noora Salmi moved to Rome and became acquainted with the drummer Ranieri Scocci. NOOA's first singles as a four-piece were released 2019 and followed with the ep "Summary" in 2021. In 2023, the band returned as a duo consisting of just Salmi and Scocci, with the single "Falling".

Hearthill

Already considered a band with a "classic rock" status in their homeland, Hearthill was founded in Kontula, Helsinki in 1987. The band's most active period lasted until 1993, but in 2023, the quintet can once again be found on domestic live stages – as well as in the studio preparing their 7th studio album, following 1995's "Lost Tune Fish" after a 28-year gap. Channelling influences equally from 60's and 70's folk rock, rock'n'roll, glam and hard rock, Hearthill's unique sound is defined by fiddler Ufo Mustonen's violin sound, as well as songwriter duo J. Sydänmäki's and Samuli Laiho's catchy melodies.

Tuomo & Markus

Tuomo & Markus is a musical project from Finnish soul/jazz artist Tuomo Prättälä and singer-songwriter Markus Nordenstreng of The Latebirds. The duo's music is influenced by folk rock and jazz as well as soul, American alt-country and americana. After releasing their debut full-length "Dead Circles" in 2016, the duo toured internationally, playing shows with bands like Wilco. Their 2nd album "Game Changing", which features artists Jonathan Wilson, Pekko Käppi and Verneri Pohjola, was released in January 2023 after several delays.

Follow the Crow

Finland-based singer-songwriter Tomas Rossi started his career with a string of independent singles as Follow the Crow in 2022.

Message Field

Pori-based alternative rock four-piece Message Field has slowly been building a fanbase in their native Finland. The band's third album New Meadows (2022) – continuing the band's rather prolific run after 2019's "Transformer Hill" and 2020's "A Brief Visit to Skull" – contains the sort of cool, tacit and contemplative indie rock that fans of UK bands such as Elbow, Doves or Athlete will instantly recognize and love.

Sophia Mitiku

Sophia Mitiku is a singer-songwriter, producer and a self-taught guitarist who plays with live loops that build her sound to fill the room. In her own words, her music "reflects on liminal spaces of daydreams and desire, pink noise, the glitch of nostalgia – a requiem for love". Her musical style is fluid between experimental r&b and avant-pop, drawing comparison by critics to Kate Bush, FKA Twigs, Anohni. Sophia Mitiku's debut album "Copacabana" was released in late 2022.

Her Shadow

Her Shadow offers dreamy pop music with moonlight melodies, heavenly hooks and Lynchian twists. The ethereal soundscapes come to life in a dream noir universe oozing with catchy choruses, Morricone motifs and vintage sounds interweave with state of the art production.

Olli Hirvonen

Olli Hirvonen is a Finnish guitarist currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Fluent in various styles from jazz to rock to more experimental sounds, he has formed a highly unique style combining these different influences. As the winner of the 2016 Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition, Hirvonen is definitely one of the most accomplished Nordic musicians of his generation. Hirvonen's 4th solo album "Kielo" was released in November 2022 on Ropeadope records.

Job

Previously known from the electronic pop duo Shine 2009, Sami Suova has released his first solo album under the title Job. Carrying the same name as the artist himself, the debut album (2021) takes influence from British pop and creates a melancholic, nostalgic mood. The album is written, performed and produced by the Suova himself.

Honey B. & T-Bones

Honey B. & T-Bones – lead vocalist and bass player Aija ”Honey B” Puurtinen and guitar player/singer Esa Kuloniemi – are considered true legends in the Finnish blues scene after their 35-year career. The band's cocktail blends psychedelic elements from 1960’s San Francisco with Mississippi blues in a garage. Right now the band's line-up is completed by the main duo's son, drummer Moses Kuloniemi and bassist Pekka Rajamäki. Honey B. & T-Bones' 14th full-length album "Buzzing vol 2" came out in late 2022.

Sin Cos Tan

Consisting of two established musicians, producer, artist and dj Jori Hulkkonen and songwriter and vocalist Juho Paalosmaa (also known from Villa Nah), Sin Cos Tan received international critical acclaim for their self-titled debut in 2012, even landing the track “Sooner Than Now” a placement on the in HBO series Halt and Catch Fire. Sin Cos Tan have established a classic partnership within the duo-format, with their great songwriting and cool synth sounds.

STINAKO

Stina Koistinen alias Stinako is a Finnish artist and music maker from Helsinki. She is known for her dynamic voice and intriguing music making skills. Koistinen has won the prestigious Finnish music award Teosto Prize with her band Color Dolor's album Love (2018) and was nominated for Hyundai Nordic Music Prize 2020 with her solo album, Stinako's Ikuisuus (2019).

Playlists