TENHI (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for your time. What’s currently keeping TENHI busy?
Busy doing promo for the new album, mainly interviews to magazines abroad like this one. Also already composing material for the Saivos follower and planning some upgrades for our own studio.
– First of all,I would like you to start sharing some history of the band.
It started in 1996 when I composed some songs and needed a drummer for them. Ilkka Salminen joined and we made a demo which lead to a deal with a german label Prophecy Productions. The deal has now been on going for 15 years. Ilmari Issakainen joined the band before the first mcd was released and now Ilmari and I form the core of Tenhi.
– And why did you pick the name «Tenhi»? Both its origin and meaning.
I came up with it in some poem back in 1996 if I remember right. It is old finnish language and the word is not used anymore. It means a witch of some sort, like a shaman. For us it represents a guide thru the unseen world. Same what we hope our music does.
– You will soon release your new «Saivo», which I could say is your most complex and dynamic album so far. Was this something you aimed for?
Yes, we had very clear vision what the album should sound like. Of course it develop along the way and found new shades and depts. We have never had so clear idea of the overall sound on out previous albums on which the sound has just evolved by itself. We are really happy how the whole album breathes as a wholeness.
– Beside that, I also think is your most mature effort so far; do you think you have reached, after so many years of silence, the highest degree of maturity?
I too think its our most mature and coherent album but I think we have still much to achieve. From what I have heard it is also probably our hardest album to get into as it doesn’t necessarily reveal its nuances and secrets on the first listening. I hope this makes it even more timeless and «current» in to years to come. We have been involved with the songs so long I can’t say which songs may seem distant at first and which are more easy to adapt. Still the reviews we have got so far have stated it as our best work to date on which we can easily agree.
– These years between each album have been 5; why did it take you that long to unleash a new opus?
We weren’t in a hurry anywhere. We gave the songs as much time and space to grow we felt they needed. There was around thirty songs when we started to draw the outlines for the album. We then slowly dropped half of them and tried different arrangements and approaches the remaining sixteen songs. Our way of working is composing, arranging, de-arranging and anti-composing. The feelings the music evokes is the most important thing so until we were completely satisfied we continue exploring. Also the fact that we do everything ourselves takes time, the recording, mixing, mastering, cover artwork and promo pictures. I also made our first music video ever for Saivon kimallus/ Siniset runot which took some time too.
– After these years without having any studio activity; what are your expectations with «Saivo»?
I am very confident that our fans will enjoy it, its natural follower for Maaäet. We are complete satisfied with it so we aren’t worried at all how it will be received by fans. As I stated before we are constantly working in our own studio. We couldn’t get the right atmosphere to make such kind of music in normal studio in a hasty sessions. Our studio is our rehearsal room at the same time.
– We can find several differences between this «Saivo» and «Airut: Aamujen» for example, we can find an almost new approach, as it seems nature has not the role it had on earlier albums. What are your feelings about this?
Airut:aamujen is part of the airut saga, albums that we try different approaches. Airut:aamujen was based on drums and piano so I would say it differs more from our main sound-landscape that we have on other albums. I think the nature has a bit different role on this album but it is still strongly present. The water is the binding element. In its depths one can sink like into one’s imagination.
– And because of these differences; how has been the songwriting process this time around?
Our way of writing the songs hasn’t changed at all during the years. When either of us has a idea for the song we start to record it and build up the song from there. As there is only me and Ilmari who compose and arrange we can’t rehearse the songs so that all the instruments are present from the start although we can hear them in our heads so to speak.
– Anyway your music and enviroments have always been really personal; where do you draw inspiration from?
Luckily we never have to search it, it just overwhelm us and we go along. I have never tried to force it our of me, just my imagination telling me what to do. The ideas for a song can come to me in very visual form too, a view of certain kind of space or scenery.
– Due to this I would like you to tell us how could you describe your sound.
Its like scenery painting but instead of brushes and canvas we use instruments to evoke feelings and thrill the imagination.
– And musically, what are your main influences?
None specially but I always enjoy artist with strong interpretation and personal touch in their work.
– Could you please shed some light on the Ikka’s departure and what has Tyko brought to the band? What have you lost at vocals with Ikka’s depature and Tyko joining?
You got it quite wrong here as I came up with the band back in 1996 and asked Ilkka to join. Ilkkas departure changed very little as his role has weakened on every album since the first one. On our previous album Maaäet it was obvious that his interests lies elsewhere whereas for me and Imari the band has became more and more important. I would his demising role is more visible between Väre and Maaäet than with Maaäet and Saivo.
– About the artwork; what did you want to reflect with it and how crafted this piece?
They small stories of their own slightly connected to some of the songs.
– Finally, what are your near-future plans?
Planning to upgrade the studio with some new gear to get the best possible sound to the next album we start to work on.
– That’s all from my side, thanks again for answering to our questions. If you now want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Anyone interest should definitely get their hands on the big artbook or digipack instead of digital download or jewel-case as they include all the images for Saivo. They will definitely strengthen the feel of the album.
