Pan Sonic

Formed in Turku in 1993 around Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen, initially under the name Panasonic before adopting Pan Sonic after a dispute with the Japanese brand, Pan Sonic developed a minimalist electronic music at the intersection of techno, industrial, noise and drone. First a trio with Sami Salo, then focused as a duo, Pan Sonic became known for work on low frequencies, dry rhythmic pulses, saturation and shifts in texture, often in a format closer to sound installation than to the club. After a first EP on Sähkö in 1994, Pan Sonic released notably Vakio (1995), Kulma (1997), A (1999), Aaltopiiri (2001) and the expansive Kesto (234.48:4) in 2004, which marked an extension of their palette toward longer, more atmospheric forms. The duo also engaged in several collaborations with Alan Vega, Bruce Gilbert and Keiji Haino, and performed both in experimental contexts and on international electronic stages. The project dissolved in 2009; Gravitoni appeared in 2010 and Oksastus, a live recording captured in Kyiv in 2009, was released in 2014.