Pan Sonic

Pan Sonic were a Finnish electronic music group founded in Turku in 1993. The group consisted of Mika Vainio, Ilpo Väisänen, and Sami Salo. Salo left in 1996 leaving Pan Sonic a duo. The group was originally named Panasonic until 1998. In December 2009, it was announced that Pan Sonic would disband after their concerts that month.[1] Their final album, Gravitoni, was released by Blast First Petite in May 2010.[2] Oksastus, a live album recorded in 2009, was released in 2014.[3]

Pan Sonic
Pan Sonic in 2006
Background information
Also known as	Panasonic
Origin	Turku, Finland
Genres	Electronic experimental techno noise drone
Years active	1993 (1993)–2009 (2009)
Labels	Blast First
Associated acts	Alan Vega Keiji Haino
Past members	Ilpo Väisänen Mika Vainio Sami Salo

Music

Pan Sonic cite their main influences from the early 1980s, with industrial acts like Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten and Suicide to reggae, hip-hop and dub. Vainio often remarks that their music is a merger of these two schools of music, taking the harsh and pure sounds typical of industrial techno and spacing them out into longer, subdued soundscapes familiar to instrumental reggae and dub. The late outsider rockabilly artist Hasil Adkins is also cited, as well as country music star Johnny Cash.

Some of their equipment is made by third "extra" member Jari Lehtinen. These and other custom made instruments are responsible for creating the sounds typical to Pan Sonic's music. They also use samplers and an MPC2000 sequencer. Pan Sonic are great fans of experimentation and art performances and have done exhibitions and sound installations in museums. They have also made music for Rei Kawakubo's fashion shows. The group was known for recording everything live, straight to DAT using home-made and modified synthesizers and effect units.

In the late 1980s, as part of a "sound performance", the duo spent 10 hours in a garage, exposed to low-frequency (13 Hz) noise at 125 decibels. They performed a gig in London's East End from an armoured car using a 5000 watt sound system allegedly "similar" to the type used by the police to disorient rioters.

History

Pan Sonic formed in 1993 as a techno group with member Sami Salo (who later left the group). They moved to operate from a base in Barcelona to escape the long Finnish winters. Mika Vainio later moved to Berlin, while Ilpo Väisänen returned to Kuopio. Their first 12" was released on Finland's Sähkö Recordings.

Originally, the band was called Panasonic, but the corporation of the same name threatened legal action unless it was changed. The conflict was resolved, and the duo removed the "a" from their name to become "Pan Sonic", which was used as the title of their 1999 album A.

In December 2009 news of the duo splitting was announced on PhinnWeb – with Mika and Ilpo continuing with their own solo projects.[1] In October 2013 a new Pan Sonic album titled Oksastus was announced.[4] It is a live album recorded at a concert in Kiev, Ukraine on June 6, 2009. It was released on February 20, 2014.[3]

Pan Sonic created a soundtrack for the 2015 documentary called Return of the Atom directed by Mika Taanila and Jussi Eerola. The film examines the construction of the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant in Finland. Return of the Atom premiered in Toronto International Film Festival in 2015.

Mika Vainio died on April 13, 2017 at the age of 53.[5]

Discography

Pan Sonic discography
Studio albums	12
Live albums	8
Compilation albums	1
Video albums	1
EPs	8

Studio albums

Year	Title	Label	Note
1995	Vakio	Blast First	(lit. "constant")
1997	Kulma	Blast First	(lit. "angle" or "corner")
1998	Endless	Blast First	with Alan Vega as Vainio Väisänen Vega
1999	A	Blast First
2001	Aaltopiiri	Blast First	(lit. "wave circuit")
2004	Kesto (234.48:4)	Blast First	(lit. "length" or "endurance")
2005	Resurrection River	Mego	with Alan Vega as VVV
2005	Nine Suggestions	Allquestions	with John Duncan as Duncan/Vainio/Väisänen
2007	Katodivaihe	Blast First Petite	(lit. "cathode phase")
2010	Gravitoni	Blast First Petite	(lit. "graviton")
2010	Synergy between mercy and self-annihilation overturned	Blast First Petite	with Keiji Haino
2016	Atomin paluu	Blast First Petite	soundtrack

Live albums

Year	Title	Label	Note
2000	Mort aux vaches	Mort Aux Vaches	with Charlemagne Palestine
2000	Frost 79° 40'	FM 4.5.1	with Andreas Ammer and F.M. Einheit
2001	05/10/995	Jenny Divers
2001	19/01/995 20/01/995	Jenny Divers
2003	V	Les Disques Victo	with Merzbow
2004	Finnexport 2003	Spirals of Involution
2009	Shall I download a blackhole and offer it to you	Blast First Petite	with Keiji Haino
2014	Oksastus	Kvitnu

Compilation albums

Year	Title	Label
1999	X	Blast First

EPs

Year	Title	Label	Note
1994	Panasonic EP	Sähkö
1996	Osasto EP	Blast First	(lit. "department" or "unit")
1998	Arctic Rangers	Blast First
1998	Medal	Blast First	with Alan Vega
1998	"Kolminpeli (Live)"	Evolurbain	split with Vodershow
1999	B	Blast First
2001	Motorlab #3	Kitchen Motors	with Barry Adamson
2009	Che	Blast First Petite	with Sunn O)))

Video albums

Year	Title	Label	Note
2008	Kuvaputki	Blast First Petite	directed by Edward Quist

References

1. "Pan Sonic News". pHinnWeb. December 1, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
2. "PANSONIC GRAVITONI". Blast First Petite. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
3. "Pan Sonic "Oksastus"". Kvitnu. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
4. "Legendary Finnish duo Pan Sonic announce new album Oksastus". FACT. October 1, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
5. Flanagan, Andrew. "Mika Vainio, Founder Of Pan Sonic And Electronic Auteur, Dies At 53". NPR.

External links

• Pan Sonic on pHinnWeb
• Pan Sonic discography at Discogs
• Pan Sonic discography at MusicBrainz