IFE

From the Land of the Midnight Sun

Dear Reader,

How I became a DJ and music producer could easily fill five seasons of a telenovela, filled with drama and comedy. I’ll do my best to make this long story short as I sit here in my caravan, gazing at a sunrise near Lagos, Portugal. “Hooligan Hill,” as the locals call this magical place, is filled with happy hippies and misfits living life to the fullest every day.

I was born in Finland to a beautiful young mother and a handsome father, a known jazz drummer. He went his own way when I was a baby, so I never got to know him. But the beat stayed with me, and now as a DJ and music producer, it’s louder than ever.

After my mom remarried, we moved to the Arctic Circle of all places. One day, she took me to meet my caretaker. As I stood in her kitchen, something in the living room caught my eye. It whispered to me, much like the damned ring from The Lord of the Rings. I walked up to it, sat down on the bench, and opened its wooden cover. The sound and vibration felt like a hug from the gods. At that moment, my life became music. I was four years old, and that “thing” was a piano.

A few years later, my mom took me to audition for a classical music academy. I played my version of Green Leaves, bringing the panel of professors to their feet. I was accepted, and for the next ten years, it was all about Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart. I learned music theory, which now proves invaluable in producing and mixing tunes.

At 16, my parents surprised me by announcing I would become an exchange student in the United States. My year abroad blew my mind. I joined a high school jazz band, sang in the choir, and even marched in the school band. The taste of American life stayed with me long after I returned to Finland.

Back home, I tried fitting in by continuing music studies, but it only lasted a year. To my academic parents’ shock, I quit school. My mom tried to persuade me to stay, even threatening to cut me out of the family. But I packed my bags, hopped on a train to the nearest big city, and started a new chapter with no money and nowhere to stay.

Over the next few years, I worked behind the scenes, building sound and lighting for gigs. Fast forward to 1995, and I found myself in London with a one-way ticket to Boston. I ended up in a funky warehouse, playing keys in various bands. Life then was like a Quentin Tarantino movie, filled with smoky practice rooms, endless jam sessions, and mind-expanding conversations.

In 2001, I moved to sunny Miami but eventually let doubt creep in. I quit music, believing I needed a “real job.” But in 2009, the Winter Music Conference reignited my passion. A fellow DJ stayed at my place, heard me jam, and bluntly asked, “Why the fuck are you not doing anything with this?” His words lit a fire in me, and I started producing electronic music.

Fast forward again, and in 2015, I found myself at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, DJing for the first time. It was a trial by fire, but by the end of my set, I felt like I’d found my calling.

From there, I landed residencies in Detroit, explored New York’s underground rave scene, and even fell in love with drum and bass. My journey has taken me to incredible places, from Panama’s “Tribal Gathering” to gigs across the U.S. and Europe.

Today, I’m proud to have my music available on labels like Ocha Records and Nipple Kiss. I’m working on a full album called Zim Not Tae, a journey through deep house and chill ambient sounds. My latest track, El Es Dee, will release on Digital Memory Music on September 13, 2024.

IFE is my name, and music is my way of sharing my heart with the world.

With love and beats,
IFE