Artist Introduction
What’s your name and where are you from?
Under The Underground, Helsinki, Finland
What’s the story behind your stage name?
Our name started as an inside joke, a poke at early creative attempts that seemed far off the grid. But we soon realized that this is the very place we exist for, the place we need to own. It’s not enough for us to be underground in the sense of nonconformity – we are digging for something deeper. We write until we bleed, and then we keep on writing. We scour rare sources to unearth soundscapes that echo rhythmic pulses of everyday life. We dig from the depths for the sake of those who uphold the highest standard.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
From the depths. For the culture. Till the last gasp.
Fan Engagement
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
In an earlier version of the track, we couldn’t quite figure out what to do with the hook so GIB ended up singing in a higher pitch to figure out the melody. We had a few rounds of laughs with the crude results, but this ultimately led to a sit down conversation with Alison Morrison, an up-and-coming vocalist in Helsinki who was able to nail it on the first take. The end result became a defining result – this really would be a different track without her contribution.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
“Be careful what you wish for – you might just get it.” This track is a cautionary tale… harkening back to certain tracks that seem to situate Money, Power and Respect as the pinnacle of ambition. These are forces worth reckoning with, indeed, but far from tame to wield. They may prove to be double-edge swords, cutting to the core of latent, self-sabotaging potentials… if not properly handled. What you need in life? You can sleep at night? If this is what you exist for we get it, but be wary — lurking beneath the underbelly of such desires are consequences… and consequences… are sadly poetic.
Behind the Music
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
At one point during production, we lost access to the stems and had to rely on early mp3 demos to recreate certain segments of the beat. Credit to Survinylist for having the right ear for this kind of challenge – we were able to carefully sound out what was lost in the stems and modify the track to the point where the end result sounded on par with what was irretrievable. Lesson learned – be wary of having everything saved to the cloud. Save local backups frequently!
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Madlib. Why? Because “if you aim for the moon and miss, you might just hit a star…” Seriously though, we would settle for a masterclass with the Beat Konducta. Any lessons gleaned from his process certainly would challenge and inspire.
Future Aspirations
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
We’re gearing up to release a lot more projects in the next year along with some live sets locally. We’re learning to love the process more than the destination – aiming high, while staying ready for unforeseen opportunities that surface along the path.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
For us, every step is an arrival. Meaning, it’s good to appreciate the journey to date before relentlessly chasing after the next stage. We know that music is a door opener, but it’s also a community builder. Wherever this endeavor takes us, we hope to take others along with us – those who already have invested in making Under The Underground a reality.
Recent Work & Contact Info
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
One link to rule them all https://linktr.ee/undertheug
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
Follow and DM us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/undertheug/ …Or send us an email: undertheug(at)gmail(dot)com
