A cold spell has managed to surprise Helsinki, which is bemoaning the wild, whipping wind that is raging outside. But the solid Cable Factory defies nature's strength. From its cellar, behind one yellow and one gray door, Don Johnson Big Band's cozy, cave-like home is revealed.

Here, the group's energetic rapper Tommy Lindgren, and Sonar Cakewalk drivers Johannes Laiho and Kari Saarilahti are nestled away. The computer screen's cathode rays cast a studio tan onto the faces of the trio, who has spent the last two weeks putting the final touches on their second album. Kari has even stayed overnight in the studio, as the restoration of his apartment building has little compassion for a musician stumbling home at 3:30 am.

"The album's working name was 'Michael Jackson' for a long time," affirms Tommy, referring to a large flag on the wall depicting the King of Pop pasted on top of the Stars and Stripes. "But the guy started attracting too much attention, so we ditched the idea," he says. DJBB produced their debut album Support de Microphones (2000) independently. It's been quite a departure for them to allow their second album into the hands of Universal for distribution and promotion. The boys admit that it felt odd to voluntarily give away any part of the process. Especially as their debut – which was produced solely through their own financing and with a zero marketing budget – sold a mojoing 10,000 copies.

"Although we also negotiated with EMI and Sony, in the end we chose Universal," says Johannes. "But funnily enough, after the distribution deal was in the bag, our sentiments were far from festive. On the contrary, we were soon hit by a kind of 'what the fuck have we done' mood. I guess we're so used to using our own time to promote our music that it feels sad to give even this, the least-creative aspect, away to someone else."

"With regards to the new areas that Universal is getting into, I think we're a bit of an experiment with our special licensing agreement," says Kari, pointing out that DJBB's own Beat Back label is still alive and well. But having outside financial help for producing and marketing singles, as well as vinyl album releases and potentially videos, is not necessarily a bad thing.

Considering that Tommy's experience as Amnesty International's Finnish press officer (his former day job) ensures that he takes care of the band's PR very well, it does indeed seem unnecessary to have outside help in that department. Breaking Daylight's promotion has now been outsourced, but will Tommy be able to stay out of the process? Would Universal have organized this pre-release visit to the boys' studio?

"Well," the rapper quietens, thinking for a moment. "Probably not," he answers, laughing. "But it's clear that everyone benefits from all of our contacts."

On the table of the studio, which goes under the pet name "Dick Tank," lies a box of DJBB's new single 'One MC, One Delay'. As Tommy puts the coffee on to percolate, Kari pushes a disk into the machine and mix master Teemu Korpipaa's thundering remix fills the air. Next we listen to the 13-track album. 'Jah Jah Blow Job', which is musically upbeat yet lyrically highly topical, makes the final cut.

"A tough decision," says Tommy. "But then we came to the conclusion that a song which works so well live just couldn't be left off the album. Even if it was a kind of joke to begin with. What's the point in pretending to be serious when the first single's built around a ZZ Top beat?"

A few days earlier yours truly received an unfinished CDR version with a special request from Tommy: "Do not distribute or else – violence." In exchange for turning in the unfinished version, I now receive an updated version.

The group, which has been making music together for six years, comes across as carefully satisfied in what they've accomplished. And they have reason to be. The wide range of material on their first album – it's linear unlinearness, if you will – is preserved, but these sounds have shades and depth and expression gained from the sweat of each live gig they've played since the release of that first album.

"We hope that this sounds a bit more live than our first album," says Kari, who is concerned about whether the band is saving its underground cred. "Our new stuff doesn't sound too commercial, does it?" he asks.

"On the other hand, the live spirit isn't a means to an end," reinforces Johannes. "We aim to maintain a sort of old-fashioned, dub-feeling via a modern computer sound and editing."

DJBB started work on some of these pieces immediately after Support de Microphones was finished; others have been finished just the week before my visit. The older tracks ('Tokyo Ranger,' 'Nutwood Cut,' 'Northbound') charm Johannes with their multi-layeredness. Some particular parts feature sampling or live material spanning several years.

In addition to these three guys, Breaking Daylight also features performances by band member Pekka Mikkonen (tenor sax, flute) as well as Giorgio de las Nieves (Juuso Hannukainen, percussion). Also appearing on the album is singer Emma Salokoski, who often guest gigs with DJBB, as does DJ Teddy Rok, aka Teppo Mäkynen.

"All these musicians belong to the extended Johnson family," says Tommy. "Either together or individually they will remain part of our live outfit."

As already became clear on Support de Microphones, Johannes and Kari are part of our country's most gifted electronic pop musicians. After its upbeat opening track, the album makes a multicolored trip around the bend that ends, just as its predecessor did, in a collage-type, thoughtful milieu. Along the way we move through influences ranging from be-bop to noisy and sometimes disturbing electronica.

And if the beats and production qualities are flawless, so are the lyrics by Tommy, aka Father Metro. Years ago as an exchange student in America, he picked up the mother tongue of rap and made it his own. His personal style of rapid-fire rhyming is delivered with increasingly personal and loaded lyrics. He's clearly not afraid of taking a stand. Worthy of a special mention are the epic 'Salt Water,' the supercharged 'Harlem Davidson' and 'Nightman,' which the group first performed live on television in February 2001 under the name 'Helsinki-Benin.' Also deeply heart-wrenching is 'Northbound.'

"Certainly the goal was to get the text to a more personal level," comments Tommy. "I try to delve into people's interpersonal relationships and their responsibilities, their indifference and attitude, all in relation to home, whatever that may signify, whether it's a town or a place that feels like home. Nostalgia for the past is also something I address."

"In addition to expressions, rap's form allows for other natural departure points. For me it's fun and important to play with language, as well as look for new words and sounds. It's a sort of an absurd trip of the imagination," he says.

"But there wasn't a need in any emphatic way to make the lyrics take a stance – with the exception of 'Jah Jah Blow Job.' With that piece the political lyrics have been with us from the beginning, an important part of a whole paradox."

On the wall of their rehearsal space/recording studio is DJBB's newest gig poster, a wild black and white portrait of the band, which has a story behind it.

"Joseph Rodriguez arrived in Finland run a workshop for students at the University of Industrial Art in Helsinki," explains Tommy. "At the same time his pictures were on display at Galleria Kari Kenetti in Helsinki and then at the Nykyaika Photographic Center in Tampere. I did a piece about Rodriguez for Voima magazine, and consequently the Desura publishing group invited me to join them for the evening."

"At the restaurant I found out that it was the photographer's birthday, so I improvised a gift from my knapsack with a CD of Support de Microphones. Surprisingly, Rodriguez offered to photograph us. Of course we couldn't refuse such an offer, and a few days later we held a photo shoot outdoors."

On behalf of Soundi I says "thanks" and start to leave as the trio continue to work on Breaking Daylight, which will go on to form an important album not just for Finnish rap, but also for pop in general. As the coffeepot is refilled, the first bass solo refrain of 'Jah Jah Blow Job' is reworked.

"The Beastie Boys once said in an interview that three years is a good space between albums," laughs Tommy, as he says goodbye to me. "We'll probably stay within those parameters." Kari sighs and wonders how some artists can produce an album a year and still manage to tour on top of that. Then as an aside, he muses that having your own studio has its good and bad sides.

"It wouldn't amount to anything if we had to go to some top-of-the-line recording studio for three days," interjects Johannes.

"Of course it's good to be able to make music when you want to," decides Kari. "We need to half-force our own deadlines, otherwise pieces would simply never get finished."



Photos: Joseph Rodriguez