INTERVIEW & MIXTAPE: ARENYMOUS

We had the pleasure of having DJ and producer Arenymous visiting our Headquarters. After playing an exceptional set in our studio he was happy to give us a short interview.

Q: Alright, let’s get straight into it. Tell me a little about yourself?

A: I’m Aarni, I make music under the name Arenymous. I grew up in the countryside, these days I am living in helsinki with my girlfriend. I’ve got a gig coming up, and while visiting Oulu I needed a spot to rehearse. My friend Shuxin hooked me up with this place and for that I'm grateful! 🙏

Q: As are we! ^_^ You've got about five years of material up on YouTube, but I’m guessing your musical journey started earlier. How did you get into music production, and how did you land in your current style?

A: I’ve always been surrounded by electronic music. In elementary school I used to sneak my older brother’s burned CDs — Trance and Dance mostly. But back then I was more into skating and mountain biking, so music stayed more in the background. I remember trying to make something with a DAW in high school once, but it sounded nothing like what I wanted — total flop, haha.

Fast forward to 2019 — a producer friend (shoutout Erkki!) told me you could get a DJ controller for just a couple hundred euros. That same night, I drove to the 24/7 electronics store, picked up a Traktor S2 and got instantly hooked.

While practicing DJing, I realized what I really wanted was to make my own music. Mixing other people's tracks gave me the confidence that maybe it wasn’t too late to start. That summer I exported my first ever "track" — some kind of House tune, haha.

Eventually I gravitated toward Lo-fi House because it's a bit rougher around the edges, nostalgic, and has a DIY vibe. It looks and sounds great with VHS aesthetics, too.

Q: Do you feel like genres like Lo-fi House, Synthwave, Chill-hop, Electronica — that nostalgic, laid-back vibe — are having a new golden age? Is there still room for new ideas?

A: I’ve produced everything from DnB to Dub Techno, Trap, and Old-school House, but I’ve always tried to release what feels true to me — so, yeah, mostly lo-fi house. I sometimes use breakbeats, but it’s more about the overall vibe: Gritty samples, warm nostalgia.

I think genres have really blurred. These days a sound is often more tied to a specific artist than a genre label. Before, genres defined the music — now the artist defines the genre. So yes, there’s always space for something original if it comes from an authentic place.

As for those nostalgic genres — maybe the "Golden Age" has passed, but hey, it’s not like we’ve dropped back into the Bronze Age either, haha. Both artists and listeners evolve their taste over time.

Q: That's a good take and super interesting to hear! Let’s geek out a bit. Tell us about your synths, controllers, sequencers — how’s your gear game evolved over time?

A: Oh man, I could go on forever. But in short — my first real piece of gear was either a TR-09 or a Minilogue XD, can’t remember exactly. Then came some Behringer synths and a Korg MS-2000. I built a DAWless setup around them, controlled by a KeyStep Pro sequencer. Super fun to jam with, really immersive.

But I eventually realized that juggling two separate workflows was eating into my time and making it harder to finish tracks. So I downsized — sold most of the gear and bought my dream synth: the UDO Super-6. Now I’m thinking about adding a MIDI controller and building a live setup based around Ableton.

Q: Not unlike in a job interview: Instead of asking where you see yourself in five years — where do you see yourself right now?

A: Honestly, in a good place. I’m excited for what’s coming. These things I’m doing mean a lot to me because they’re full of dreams and personal meaning. It’s amazing to see other people want to listen to what I create (…did I get the job?)

Q: You're hired! From what I gather, live DJing isn’t totally your comfort zone yet — but you’ve got a gig coming up? Tallinn was next, right?

A: Yeah, I’ve only played at smaller private events or just for friends on my own setup. But now I’m headed to Tallinn for a stop on EELF Records’ tour — they just released my new EP, so they invited me along. Really hyped for that!

Q: You’ve already got some solid mixes up on YouTube and it seems like curating sets in the studio is familiar territory. Do you think DJing might play a bigger part in your future carreer?

A: Thanks! Yeah, I’ve definitely spent time mixing and building setlists at home. I’m taking it one step at a time and if this sparks a real love for live playing, great. So far, producing has always been my main thing.

Q: When you hit a creative block, how do you reset your brain? Any hobbies you'd recommend?

A: If nothing sounds good or I feel stuck, I try to remind myself that everyone has off days. I might scroll through old unfinished projects, organize samples, or just take a walk and come back later.

I don’t get full-on creative blocks that often and I’ve usually got more ideas than time. Of course, not every idea is good, haha, but the key is to keep making stuff so you’re not left wondering what you could’ve done. And honestly speaking, skating is the best hobby ever. Any kind of movement helps, though.

Q: What artists do you follow and recommend checking out?

A: Some of my favorites in the electronic space, the ones I keep coming back to: Baril, Tourist, Bicep, Monolithic, and Fullempty.

Q: If you could instantly gain three skill points — say, in playing an instrument, cooking, climbing, electronics — what would you pick? Or would you max out one skill?

A: Love this question! I’d probably invest all three points into piano. I’d like to say something quirky, but honestly if I could be good enough to make a living by sitting with Ableton all day and herd sheep somewhere in the Mediterranean, that’d be the dream.

Q: May all your dreams come true! Final words, shoutouts, or greetings to mom? The floor is yours.

A: Big thanks to Jarkko and Joni for this interview! Massive shoutout to Shuxin Wei for the link-up and to my girlfriend Lilja for all the support.

And thanks to everyone who made it this far in the age of algorithms!

Arenymous @ INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP