Premiere: Mikko Joensuu – ‘House Of Fire’

Taken from new album 'Amen 3'...

Mikko Joensuu knew he couldn't simply narrow his thoughts down to one album, so the Finnish composer allowed his imagination to run free.

Tirelessly pursuing fresh avenues of exploration, the Finnish composer confirmed plans to release an epic, ambitious three-part album.

The trilogy encompasses some profoundly personal moments, and comes to a close with the upcoming release of 'Amen 3'.

“These are personal albums,” reveals Mikko, explaining his inspirations. “Personal emotions run through these albums. One main thing is depression, the darkness that people sometimes go through. The other thing is the religious aspect of my life. I was raised in a Pentecostal Christian home and surroundings. I grew up to be the person I am through that and I had to ask what is the concept of God, and how we ease our pain finding places which comfort us.”

“These were big themes. Yet I didn’t think about them when I was writing the songs and didn’t specifically want to write songs about them. Then, in 2013, I realised these were the themes: when I say goodbye to the depression, my dilemmas with the idea of God and giving up on the idea that there actually is one.”

Wonderfully imaginative neo-classical pieces, Mikko sluices together the organic with the digital, the tightly programmed with the chaotically humane.

Out on June 2nd, Clash is able to preview 'Amen 3' by unveiling new cut 'House Of Fire'. It's a dense yet dynamic piece, with the undulating synths recalling Manuel Göttsching's work, recast in a rather more dark setting.

Superbly engrossing, you can check it out below.

Catch Mikko Joensuu at Brighton's One Church on May 20th as part of The Great Escape Festival.

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