Kaiku

FRI 31/7 – Kaiku presents: Isabel Soto (VE)

Early birds tend to fly before the dawn, so here’s a timely calendar-filler for all of you with a soft spot for hypnotic, cerebral nocturnal rhythms: Isabel Soto makes her Kaiku debut on the 31st of July. The Venezuelan-born and Berlin-based DJ and producer has been steadily creating a sonic space with her atmospheric, textural, and panoramic take on techno. Disseminated through releases on revered techno label Ostgut Ton and her own NYXII Records as well as by touring all over the world, Isabel Soto has become renowned for building musical journeys that are simultaneously raw and intimate, masterfully sustaining and releasing energies on the dancefloor.

So heed this call and allow her to guide you through the mysterious end-of-July night, emerging into the first hours of August, somehow changed, as if hovering slightly above the ground. Opening the night are Helsinki hypno-delic masters of electronic music, Carlina Carpelan and Basit Soomro. And for further secrets embedded into obscure electronics, it’s CLUB//NEUROSIS in room two. It’s gonna be a deep dive, folks.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

FRI 10/7 – Kaiku presents: Anish Kumar (UK)

On the 10th of July, a rising star from London appears on the Kaiku stratosphere. Going by the name of Anish Kumar, he is the culprit behind a slew of highly infectious tracks that have been garnering deserved attention in the hands of DJ’s like Daphni and Bonobo as well as spotlighted by NPR and Pitchfork. A beautiful blend of chugging house, hearty disco, samples from Bollywood soundtracks and ballistic Northern Soul, all infused with a debonair touch – these are songs with summer written all over them. Recent collaboration with Grammy-winning Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab, a ghostly rendition of Eurythmics’ 1983 hit Sweet Dreams, is a perfect example of this; contemporary club sounds imbued with deep South Asian influences resulting in instant dancefloor euphoria.

Kumar is, however, no one-track pony as evidenced by the four volumes of four-track AK Cuts EPs released in the span of one year. In his DJ sets, Kumar allows his vast influences to come to the fore, moving seamlessly from Hindustani deep cuts to African boogie and Tokyo City Pop, all fleshed out with the technical prowess his productions attest to. It would appear that Kumar is just getting started and this July Friday is a great chance to come experience it first-hand.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

FRI 24/7 – Kaiku presents: Blawan – DJ Set (UK)

A special bulletin for next month: on the 24th of July, it’s finally time to have Blawan come and blow Kaiku to smithereens. He is well known for exploring the murkier ends of techno, as exemplified by his 2012 hit “Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage?” and his canonical 2011 releases on R&S Records. Whether through his collaborations with Pariah as Karenn, with Surgeon as Trade, or going it alone, Blawan delivers to devastating effect.

Today he continues on a singular exploration of what techno can be. Instead of the formulaic four-to-the-floor pummel, 2025’s album 'SickElixir' is a whirlwind of industrial, metal, noise, and decades of knowledge of electronic music, out of which moments of tremendous beauty and personal expression emerge. Recent collaborations with the likes of Skrillex testify that Blawan is on the move evermore, remaining one of the most intriguing producers out there. It doesn’t get much more visceral than this. Fittingly opening the night is the local spearheader of experimental electronics, Exploited Body. In room two, a similar ethos is propounded by Alternate Frequency with Kiik Amor – LIVE (UK), AngeLio & Kiik Amor (Performance), Oikam Orim and Kaero.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

SAT 4/7 – Kaiku presents: Thomas Melchior (DE)

On the 4th of July, fireworks of a different kind light up the air in Kaiku’s room one. Calibrated with extreme precision, they are launched by Thomas Melchior, the Berlin-based pioneer and torch-bearer of minimal house. Closely affiliated with the renowned Perlon label, Melchior has been at the forefront of shaping the then-emerging minimal house sound. Whether solo or as collaborator, his many releases can be taken as blueprint formulas for maximum impact through subtle compositions.

Especially noteworthy on this score are his releases together with Peter Adshead, released on Trelik under the Soul Capsule alias. Still releasing and touring actively, Melchior today is as awe-inspiring as ever. Come and experience it for yourself and get Perlonized on the first Saturday of July. Opening the night are Lil Tony and Joshi; a perfect pairing for a sultry summer night. In room two, it’s AIDA 8 Years with Lervern, Dora, Aino Collin and Taika Mannila.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

SAT 13/6 – Kaiku presents: STERAC (NL) – 45 Years in Music

This Saturday, come join the long-standing Dutch techno pioneer Sterac in celebrating his 45 years in music as he takes the stage at Kaiku for the first time. Having fallen in love with music as a child in the early 1980’s, Sterac’s affair with music begins intensifying in the early 1990’s with his earliest productions, already telling of a deep connection to analogue hardware and foreshadowing what is to come: decades of intense creativity focusing on the darker and purer shades of techno.

With a discography spanning way over 100 releases, many of them genre-defining anthems, Sterac today shows no signs of slowing down with a massive tour underway and an album coming out on Dekmantel as well as a slew of EP’s lined up. Come experience it first-hand: deep pummeling techno with ample shades of acid, Detroit, electro, ambient and lived knowledge, all filtered through the mind and hands of a Dutch savant. Opening the night are local beat conducting legends Katerina and Trevor Deep Jr. In room two, it’s Roundabout with Monokromatiko, Elixiiri and a special live set from Spilius.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

FRI 12/6 – BOY LAUNDRY: DBBD (DE)

This Friday, another hefty spin cycle awaits you as the boisterous Boy Laundry crew invite the young top gun DBBD from Berlin to wreak havoc at Kaiku. As opposed to most laundromats, this one is all about Big Bounce laden with lethal synth melodies, seductive vocals, snappy snares, and beats of the most infectious kind. DBBD’s sound carries distinct influences from a youth surrounded with EDM and dubstep that are transformed into tunes that are without a doubt very much of today, also of tomorrow. Often collaborating with the vivacious Miss Bashful, the hallmark of a DBBD production is that it’s nearly impossible to get out of your head and it leaves you drenched in sweat on the dancefloor.

The name is an acronym of Dat Baddie Be Dangerous, so consider yourself warned; Friday the 12th is danger zone. Joining in on the fun are the Boy Laundry all-stars: Katvyl, Zarunii and Mangolassi. The trio has been responsible for some of the hottest nights in Helsinki of recent times and this one promises to be no different: techno, hardgroove, hyperspeed avec tongue-in-cheek, playful and innovatively curated, it’s the Boy Laundry stamp of guarantee. In room two, it’s in the x with ladiø, SegarNoel b2b ēsau, Blackoutt b2b Doan and mizu.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

SAT 6/6 – Kaiku presents: Alex Kassian (DE)

Those who were present the previous time Alex Kassian elevated the collective consciousness of the Kaiku dancefloor can testify: we’re heading into high altitudes as Kassian returns to Kaiku this Saturday. Born in Kyoto, based in Berlin and at home in booths all over the world, he moves smoothly through various sonic terrains, always with an emphasis on making bodies move. Dubby, lofty, melodic, and constantly expanding in various directions, the sound of Alex Kassian is hard to pigeonhole but easy to immerse yourself in.

Winks and nods towards balearic, krautrock, trance, and ambient abound in his productions and releases on labels like Love On The Rocks and ESP Institute give a good indication of what to expect: something pleasantly unexpected. Kassian is in good company as the night is opened up by selectors of excellence, HiToshi and Lil Tony. In room two, it’s (un)stable with der Professor, Leila T, and pelkkä elmo.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

FRI 5/6 – Kaiku presents: Barker – LIVE (UK)

The month of June at Kaiku opens up with a wild ride. On Friday, the 5th of June, it’s the Helsinki debut of none other than Barker and it’s happening in the form of a live set. The Berlin-based and British-born renaissance man is known for pushing the boundaries of techno far beyond the familiar 4/4 structure, often into heady territories of modularity and angular left-field sonic structures. Many of his productions happen entirely without the kick drum yet nevertheless always pack an unexpected punch – an effect best experienced during his live sets.

On top of a prolific career as DJ, producer and operating the revered Leisure System label, Barker is also an innovative instrument designer and an avid collaborator with a wide range of artists from Tangerine Dream to saxophonist Benedik Giske. All this is to say that Barker’s creativity seems to know no bounds and happily so, for it promises an open horizon looming in the future of electronic music. Opening the night is this winning trio of wide-minded individuals: Una and Joni DJ & Denzel. Room two will be Room Æ with Carlina Carpelan b2b Sakral i/o, Arbo, not cool and EMI.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

SAT 13/6 – Kaiku presents: STERAC (NL) – 45 Years in Music

On the 13th of June, come join the long-standing Dutch techno pioneer Sterac in celebrating his 45 years in music as he takes the stage at Kaiku for the first time. Sterac has previously played in Ääniwalli, way back in 2017, so having the legend return after nine years and having it take place in Kaiku’s booth promises to be a special gathering.

Having fallen in love with music as a child in the early 1980’s, Sterac’s affair with music begins intensifying in the early 1990’s with his earliest productions, already telling of a deep connection to analogue hardware and foreshadowing what is to come: decades of intense creativity focusing on the darker and purer shades of techno. With a discography spanning way over 100 releases, many of them genre-defining anthems, Sterac today shows no signs of slowing down with a massive tour underway and an album coming out on Dekmantel as well as a slew of EP’s lined up.

Come experience it first-hand: deep pummeling techno with ample shades of acid, Detroit, electro, ambient and lived knowledge, all filtered through the mind and hands of a Dutch savant. Opening the night are local beat conducting legends Katerina and Trevor Deep Jr. In room two, it’s Roundabout with Monokromatiko, Elixiiri and a special live set from Spilius.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!

FRI 29/5 – Kaiku presents: Fiona Zanetti (CH)

May is a time of fast transformation; greenery pops up everywhere, flowers are growing left and right. Perhaps even you yourself feel a bit different, a bit lighter. To ease this transformation to its completion during the final days of May, the Parisian shapeshifter Fiona Zanetti makes her debut at Kaiku this Friday.

Zanetti’s enticing approach to music is interdisciplinary, she combines musical genres, visuals, words, and industry insight to form the compelling world her sets and productions evoke. At the heart of it, her sound is founded on house music, transformed with shades of progressive, trance, tech and imbued with a sense of inner journeying – it is music that beckons you to bloom and turns the dancefloor into a garden for the senses. As a DJ, Zanetti has toured around the world, spreading her strain of infectious house music bridging the mind-body split. This May, she released her debut EP, Red Light Therapy, emphasizing her status as an emerging force in electronic music. Joining Zanetti are local levitators Mallamarét and Spin Doctor. In room two, the world is your y2k oyster with Club Geeli’s DJ Lassi Lassi and Cex.

Limited amount of advance tickets 12 € via Eventual. Tickets from the door 16 €. Free entrance before 23:00. Welcome!