mika vainio: fe304-magnetite

Mika Vainio, currently based in Berlin, was one-half of the minimal electronic duo Pan Sonic from Finland, (with Ilpo Väisänen). Before starting Pan Sonic in the beginning of the '90s, Mika Vainio has played electronics and drums as part of the early Finnish industrial and noise scene. His solo works, under his own name and under aliases like Ø, are known for their analog warmth and electronic harshness. Be it abstract drone works or minimal avant techno, Vainio is always creating unique, physical sounds. He has released on other labels such as Editions Mego, Wavetrap and Sähkö, and he has produced work with, amongst others, Alan Vega of Suicide, Keiji Haino, and Bruce Gilbert. Since 2009, Mika Vainio has contributed to the music for Cindy van Acker's dance pieces. This is his fifth album for Touch, after 1998's Onko, 2000's Kajo, 2004's Sokeiden Maassa Yksisilmäinen on Kuningas (In the Land of the Blind One-Eyed Is King)  and 2009's Aíneen Musta Puhelin (Black Telephone of Matter). FE3O4 - MAGNETITE was recorded in Berlin between 2011 and 2012. In contrast to the dark vistas of his most recent releases, FE3O4 - Magnetite oscillates between the two poles of silence and noise. Using his signature sources which range from radio signals to sine wave generators, Mika Vainio creates a unique emotional journey that moves from the serene to the unsettling, always challenging the listener's comfort zone.