Yotto

Yotto
Background information
Birth name	Otto Yliperttula
Origin	Helsinki, Finland
Genres	Deep House, House, Techno
Occupation(s)	Disc jockey Record producer
Years active	2014 – present
Labels	Anjunadeep
Website	http://www.yottomusic.com/

Otto Yliperttula (born October 8, 1986), known professionally by his stage name, Yotto, is a Finnish DJ, songwriter, and record producer. Currently residing in Helsinki, Finland, the 30-year-old is signed to English deep house label, Anjunadeep.

Yotto came to fruition with a string of remixes and originals that caught the ear of Anjunadeep label boss, James Grant. Deemed “a man of many sounds” ^[1] by Billboard and “an experimental house talent” by Dancing Astronaut, he produces a number of styles within the house music genre and sometimes other forms of electronic music.

As well as his own solo releases, Yliperttula has worked alongside other DJs & producers such as Coldplay, Rüfüs, Above & Beyond, Lane 8, and Super8 & Tab. A five track EP titled 'Stars' was released in 2013^[2] on The Shapeshifters Nocturnal Groove imprint by Otto and Karolus Viitala under the moniker Something Good.^[3] He has also collaborated with his younger brother who performed vocals on tracks under the alias CAPS for both Something Good and Yotto.^[4]

Musical Influence

The offspring of musically inclined parents and the sibling of a vocalist, Yliperttula grew up in a very musical family.^[5] He started taking classical piano lessons as a young child and played regularly until the age of 14.^[6] As a teenager, skateboard culture influenced a wide ranged of personal preference for West Coast Hip-Hop music, & Heavy Metal^[7] bands such as Iron Maiden and Manic Street Preachers. It was this eclectic taste in music that enabled Yliperttula to stay open-minded and not get too deeply vested into any one genre, instead just listening to music he enjoyed.^[8]

Career

Yotto officially joined the Anjunadeep roster w/ his debut release "Memento" / "Azzurro" in 2015.^[9] His debut release on the label included a two track EP. "Memento" has been described as an atmospheric opener to the EP with bass-driven precision.^[10] Premiered on BBC Radio 1, "Azzurro" was described as a "slap shot to the face"^[11] by BBC radio host, Pete Tong, and a bustling track with a chilling piano line and a dramatic crescendo ^[12] by Dancing Astronaut.

Yliperttula followed up his debut release with a second EP, titled Wondering in August 2015. The EP includes three tracks; "Wondering", "Slowly", & "Coming Back To You". In an interview with Urb magazine, Yotto explained, "The EP was built from these tracks, as they all seem to share a stress-free vibe".^[13] The title track, "Wondering", is a collaboration with his younger brother which they produced in a tiny studio at their house in Finland.^[14]

"Personal Space / Mulholland 99" is the title of the two-track EP Yliperttula released in December 2015.^[15] The release was his third Anjunadeep release, and his fourth on the year. Pete Tong selected "Personal Space" as Essential New Tune on his BBC Radio 1 show on November 20, 2015.^[16]

In early 2016, Yotto was named an "Artist to Watch" in 2016 by popular electronic music blog LessThan3.^[17] On January 15, 2016, Yliperttula released an official remix of "Like An Animal" by Rüfüs on Sweat It Out Records.^[18] The track was premiered by Hunger TV^[19] and garnered him his second Essential New Tune accolade by BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong on his weekly radio show.^[20] It has been described as adding tension to the original through a minimalist approach.^[21]

Halfway through his U.S. tour in 2015, Yliperttula received a request to remix Coldplay's feature track, "Adventure Of A Lifetime", from their 2016 album A Head Full Of Dreams.^[22] Twice premiered; first by radio on Above & Beyond's Group Therapy Radio show and then exclusively^[23] to the public by Billboard magazine online. Critics have said his rendition of the track "has proven [Yotto] knows pop music just as well as the environmental and underground [music]".^[24]

April saw the release of Yotto's first original productions of 2016, with "Aviate" and "Crosswalk" released as a two track EP on Anjunadeep. "Aviate" earned yet another Essential New Tune selection for Yotto, marking his third in less than six months.^[25] Then in June, Yotto released arguably his most successful track to date, "The Owls". Picking up his fourth Essential New Tune selection on Pete Tong's BBC Radio 1 show^[26] and also named "Hottest Record in the World" by Annie Mac,^[27] "The Owls" was premiered by Mixmag who called it "another staple addition to Yotto's defined, formidable sound."^[28]

Discography

Releases

• Yotto - "Cooper's Cup" (Anjunadeep / August 26, 2016)
• Yotto - "The Owls" (Anjunadeep / July 1, 2016)
• Yotto - "Aviate" / "Crosswalk" (Anjunadeep / April 8, 2016)
• Yotto - "Personal Space" / "Mulholland 99" (Anjunadeep / December 11, 2015)
• Yotto - 'Wondering' EP (Anjunadeep / August 15, 2015)
• Yotto & You Are Me ft. CAPS – "Anything About You" (So Sure Music / July 6, 2015)
• Yotto – "Azzurro" / "Memento" (Anjunadeep / May 25, 2015)
• Yotto – "All I Want" / "Cycle" EP (So Sure Music / October 6, 2014)
• Yotto – "Seven Mountains" (Change Audio / September 8, 2014)

Remixes

• Coldplay - "Adventure Of A Lifetime" (Yotto Remix)^[29]
• Rüfüs - "Like An Animal" (Yotto Remix) (Sweat It Out! / January 19, 2016)^[30]
• Lane 8 ft. Matthew Dear - "Undercover" (Yotto Remix) (Anjunadeep / October 23, 2015)
• Above & Beyond ft. Gemma Hayes – "Counting Down The Days" (Yotto Remix) (Anjunabeats / July 31, 2015)
• 7 Skies & Super8 & Tab – "Rubicon" (Yotto Remix) (Anjunabeats / February 16, 2015)
• Roisto – "Apart In Love" (Yotto Remix) (Youth Control / January 27, 2015)
• Pierce Fulton – "Kuaga" (Yotto Remix) (Cr2 Records / November 24, 2014)
• London Grammar – "Strong" (Yotto Rework) (September 16, 2014)
• M83 – "Intro" (Yotto Rework) (July 22, 2012)
• Jojo Da Silva & Sergio Rincon – "Chi Co Monte" (Yotto Remix) (August 28, 2009)

References