After spending the last few months turning out a wave of immersive delights, London-based Finnish artist Veera Lummi has now returned to deliver her eagerly-awaited debut EP 'LIMINAL'.
Featuring the previously shared gems 'Paralysed' and 'Clarity', this new six-track collection makes for a wondrous introduction to her sound to date. With its rich and moving textures alt-pop, sweeping atmosphere, and her own mesmerising vocals at the helm, she is cementing herself as one of the more exciting names on the rise with this one.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The voice. My whole family sang in choirs, so singing was always present at home. It’s such a complex instrument because it is tied to everything we are. You cannot show another person how to use the vocal cords like you show someone a chord on the piano. And, you cannot really teach anyone to sing unless you dive deep into their perceptions and beliefs of themselves. It’s never-ending work and that is why it is so fascinating and rewarding.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Having sung in choirs and played classical piano I was into anything from Bulgarian choir music to Bach and Piazzola. My secret favourite though was Michael Jackson’s Dangerous, which my sister had. I would listen to it pretty much whenever she was not home. But it wasn’t until a boy I had a crush on told me to go and check out Björk’s Joga, that a whole new world opened up. I still vividly remember that feeling of awe. Around the same time my contemporary dance teacher started playing Four Tet in class and I fell in love with his soft electronics. I started discovering more UK artists such as Nitin Shawney and The Cinematic Orchestra who expanded my sonic world even further.
What was the first album you remember owning?
This is so embarrassing, but it was Scooter. I won it from a school competition. It felt so precious that I really tried to get into it, but unfortunately never did…
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Moses Sumney’s Doomed. It is such a stunning piece of art. So simple, yet so powerful.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Voice notes. I think this happens to quite a few artists, but the best ideas tend to happen just when I’m drifting off to sleep, so I force myself to pick up the phone and try somehow to dictate what I’m hearing. I have hours of these voice notes that are really hard to make sense of. In my mind I might have a full orchestra, but on the voice note it’s more of an extended breath with some ambiguous hums.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Sampha - gorgeous new album, Holly Walker - a gorgeous new album as well (Unsung gets me in tears every time), Labrinth - there is something so vibrant and captivating in his music that he is on constant rotation, and stable house names Duval Timothy and James Blake. Love them both.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
It’s got to be Björk. What a woman. What a legend.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
There are 3 moments that I love. The first one is when you can “hear” the song. It’s only forming, but you know it’s there and it needs to come alive. That excitement is so pure and all encompassing. The second is when I hear other people play my music. It is so deeply humbling that I usually cry. And the third, if I’m lucky enough, is hearing how my music has become a part of someone else’s life. That is so wildly beautiful. And such a privilege to provide a soundtrack to someone else’s days.
And what is the most frustrating part?
When you don’t know how to make it sound like it does in your head…haha! To be honest, there are probably more of those frustrating moments in the day to day dealing with equipment and admin and socials etc. than there are of those really beautiful ones, but luckily they hold very different weight.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
First and foremost work on yourself as a whole and the music will come. I cannot even remember where I heard it, but it applies to everything from writing to singing and performing. The more at ease you are with who you are, the more you can give.
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Veera Lummi's new EP 'LIMINAL' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.