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Sahko Recordings label

As mentioned already, the first Finnish illegal raves were organized in
the summer of 1989 by the Hyperdelic Housers crew, which core was formed
by Mika Vainio (aka D-Code aka O), Tommi Gronlund and Esko Routamaa. They
were playing original Chicago acid and house, also hip hop and funky -
the legendary Trax Records collections, 'Acid Over' by Tyree, 'French Kiss'
by Li'l Louis, 'Humanoid' by Stakker, early Orbital tunes like 'Deeper' and
'Satan'...

The records they got from their trips to London and Berlin, since their 
availability in Finland those days was nearly non-existent. Their parties
were often ridden by the local police, as the most ravers were underage,
and though the Hyperdelic Housers were also organizing the big Typpihappo
raves at the Turku Typhoon hall as part of the large Ruisrock festival held
every July, their activities were starting to recede by the summer of 1992,
as techno and house music were already playing in every self-respecting 
disco and dance venue.

The Hyperdelic Housers were to spawn the first underground label of Finland,
Sahko Recordings, which central place was to be in Helsinki. During 1993
Sahko already published five 12":s, the early 1994 saw the first Sahko CD,
'Metri' by Mika Vainio, recorded as O. Tommi Gronlund, the head honcho of
Sahko, working also as an archtect, couldn't even in his wildest dreams
foresee Sahko's success as a reputable part of the international techno
underground. Sahko records were praised by such people as Mixmaster Morris
and Mike Paradinas of Mu-Ziq, they reached the DJ charts of the German
techno magazine Frontpage and the British DJ magazine; last December Tommi
was interviewed by the leading British pop music tabloid NME.

Oddly, Sahko remained in underground in their native Finland as their
products were still hard to get by, except in those specialized dance music
stores; as their domestic Finnish distribution was nearly non-existent
despite all the hype they had received overseas. Now, with Sahko licensed
to the British NovaMute label, it may be possible that their outcome will
find its way even to those lazier techno punters, who have no time nor
interest to chase after those valuable original silver sleeved 12":s.

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ERKKI RAUTIO
trerra@uta.fi

Thanks to Henrik Huhtinen, Pertti Gronholm, whose article on Sahko
I heavily loaned, and especially to Samu Mielonen, without whom, etc.