The Weekly Coos

This year has been slightly stagnant with my write-ups about artists I’m discovering and vibing with consistently. I remember making a decree saying I would try to write more frequently about them, and though that is true comparatively, I feel like I’ve done almost enough to warrant what I said so far this year; however, as much as I look back and feel like I haven’t been so outright with new write-ups monthly, I know people are reading and taking my recommendations, whether I’m informed or not. Music is love, and spreading what I love is all that matters; I’m here to continue delivering more recommendations, like today’s piece on Finnish DJ/Artist Yotto. His presence has been pertinent throughout the years, and my discovering him now goes to show how much the lot may care for Coldplay, as one defining moment in his early career was being hand-selected to remix “Adventure of a Lifetime;” from there, his artistry grew despite being a name stay in the electronic music sphere, specifically with his appearances at prolific festivals like Tomorrowland. And man, I’m just excited to talk about his work, so here it goes.

When I began delving into Yotto’s work, it was more stagnant instead of being linear: a few mixes here, some remixes there, and extended mixes elsewhere – eventually, I took this step back and listened to what was getting crafted; I knew this was special. Yotto’s music delves deep within the confines of House and Deep House music, occasionally branching off into more downtempo sounds. But Yotto’s output is crazy, and the work in an extensive repertoire is ear-popping and dance-inducing. That’s what hit me instantly when I started with his more fluid and, at times, rudimentary Hyperfall, though in hindsight, I will say I was very much of a fan, even if the work after it is something I latch onto more. He has an ear for cadence, where his will to find unique, danceable melodies in the ever-shifting BPMs of the production showcases the masterclass of which these DJs/Producers/Artists can weave through songs that are instrumentally focused instead of vocally balanced. The instrumentally heavy grooves are what I attach myself more to, as these club-pop songs don’t shift the parameters of the meter since the vocals tend to mirror what seems more apropos with the electronic genre as a whole, except for the recent Romy album.

Yotto’s 2021 release, Songs You Might Remember from Some Parties, is one of those albums that is instrumentally focused. It opts to unravel through these hyperactive synths plugging through subtle percussion, keeping a steady tangent afloat as you become engrained with its sonic structures. Though it has some predominantly faint vocals, they add depth to the music, as if they are this ominous chant that keeps you zoned into the groove while it toys with different approaches. It has been a cornerstone to Yotto’s craft, whether in live mixing/performing or producing, and as highly regarded as I have Songs You Might Remember from Some Parties, Yotto’s tenacity and talent for this instrumentally heavy direction have been there from the beginning, like with his North EP, where the percussion comes on high alert, maneuvering through the synths and finding equilibrium between the different complexions and tones. It makes listening to the progression of his music much more awe-inducing, especially with the kinetic energy he brings to his performances and the mixes he curates for streaming.

One thing DJs do that I love – I thank Cercle for expanding on it – is the mesmerizing performances in more glamorous locations, offering us aerial shots from different angles and getting the listener emersed into the aesthetic and overall vibe. Yotto did so with a snowy Lapland, Finland, where the trees glisten with fluffy white flakes and the contrasting lighting between different elements, like when you fly through over the river in the video. Additionally, Yotto’s b2b sets are available on the Anjunadeep label’s YouTube channel, and like the varying sets I’ve seen, they are equally great. Though different from what comes from an album, his ease and cadence in performing are always fun, even when the venue is more limited and austere, which I think offers a better glimpse at their talent on the boards. It makes it worth putting it on YouTube and letting it run while you get going on your stuff or kick back and get yourself in a groove on those nights alone.

There is one final project I’d love to recommend, Erased Dreams, his downtempo-influenced direction that encompasses a world and takes you there. The production is like a canvas filled with different art styles blended to create this unique journey through lowly synths and luscious percussion that does enough to keep you in an astral plane where the canvas displaying this world makes it feel actualized. I felt myself gripped to the soundscapes, allowing myself to take in everything, furthering my connections this realm created by them. It had me bent back and wanting to get more from him while in this realm, this trance. But as it was with previous albums, his second official album, Growth, is more dance and clubby while still retaining some of his core tendencies with the elevated synths; it offers an intriguing contrast to it all. There is only so much one can say without throwing out a word salad, so it’s your typical try it as you may find yourself loving his craft. Yotto has so much it’s fun to dig in and expand. I hope I’ve done my job and you get as much enjoyment out of his work like I did.