Kalm

Kalm aka Kristjan Kalm issued his debut under Umblu Records together with fellow labelmate Tallinn 73 in spring 2002. Their split-CD Autopiloot worked on various jazz themes from broken beat to 50s cool jazz and 60s psychedelic pop, claiming significant critical acclaim.“People tend to think that the technology can save them or be a substitute for great songwriting, which it’s not,” he says. “It’s really hard to write a song on the computer - some people manage it - but in most cases its outright boring and static. You can turn all your knobs but it just does not excite. And it is really hard for me to imagine somebody sitting behind the computer or a mixing desk, all of a sudden being hit by great ideas one after another. That’s why a significant mass of contemporary dance music is what it is - professional and boring.” In October 2004 he released his first solo effort Generalissimus Kalm, which went on to win “Best Electronica Release” at Estonian Music Awards in 2005. The record was less jazzy and more lo-fi featuring influences form country, punk rock and hip-hop.

In the end of 2005 he formed an avant-garde jazz-outing called Akord for live shows only, which plays hard-bop, free jazz and serial. Currently he is working on two projects: as a producer with amateur hip-hop grouping and his second solo album, which, as he describes it, will “primarily be accoustic folk.”