It was in 2019, when my research of Finnish hockey stars took me down a rabbit hole of their country’s culture. There, I discovered Suomipop.
For the uninitiated, Suomipop is a microcosm of pop music, with traction almost exclusively in Finland. It combines the danceability of europop with a more tangible rock influence and openness to experimentation than what graces the American top 40 charts. In my dive into the genre, two artists caught my attention: Paula Vesala and Sanni Kurkisuo, known mononymously as SANNI.
SANNI is a Suomipop staple; a producer and a multi-instrumentalist, characterized by her unique singing voice, candid lyrics and candy-colored hair. She has performed at some of the biggest festivals in Finland and appeared on television programs like Vain Elamää (in which Finnish musicians cover each other’s work) and The Voice: Finland.
Muutos, which translates to “Change,” is SANNI’s fifth — but first entirely self-produced — album. It is a change from her prior works, indeed. Sonically, it’s gentler and less guitar-driven than the likes of her EP Kesken (2022) and the prior LP Trippi (2019). Evocative of this change is the deep cut “Metsä.”
Meaning “Forest,” “Metsä” is a different take on a SANNI specialty: breakup songs. It’s not outright tragic like “Me ei olla enää me” or “Kesken.” The song starts by describing a relationship soured by dishonesty.
“Mä annoin sulle anteeksi ihan pari viikkoo sitten, yeah /
“(I just forgave you a couple of weeks ago, yeah)
Mut kuukausien valheesi punoo omaa lankaa /”
(But your lie that went on for months is spinning a thread of its own)”
However, as much as you can say you’ve moved on, some things you just can’t let go. This track goes back and forth over the line between acceptance and denial. SANNI’s inflection is reflective and the music danceable, even as the lyrics compare a relationship to a forest.
“Mitä jos me ollaan metsä /
“(What if we are a forest) /
Jonka siimeksessä /
(In the depths of which) /
Oksat tästä enää sen kun tihenee /
(Branches just keep on getting denser) /
Mä toivoisin että yhdessä lähettäs /
(I wish we would leave together) /
Ennen ku nää varjot vielä pitenee”
(Before these shadows get even longer) /”
Distortion plays a key role in creating a brooding atmosphere, like a dark vignette on a photo.
The warped electric guitar acts as a drone in some spots, while sounding like a stylophone in others. SANNI’s characteristic, autotune-coated vocal runs are a background for the guitar solo. “Metsä” puts Suomipop’s electronic boundary-pushing on full display without sacrificing storytelling.
If you want a song for dancing through the pain, “Metsä” by SANNI might be for you … regardless of your Finnish proficiency.
