Edwin Jantunen (better known as Henry Krinkle) is making electronic music for the world. He has found his calling perfecting the sounds of UK post-dubstep and future house with innovative new ideas; transforming the realm of modern electronic dance music.
LYFSTYL had a chance to speak with HK about his early years, his development as an artist, and what he’s been up to these days.
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard new music from you – what have you been up to?
I’ve been working on some original material here and there but mostly I’ve been reading, watching movies and playing video games. I’ve been keeping myself busy trying to discover and learn new things.
How did you get started making music. Did you grow up in a musical household?
My household wasn’t particularly musical but I was exposed to a lot of music as a child. My earliest music related memory is probably seeing Fantasia at the move theater when I was around 3. My parents also had a great collection of VHS tapes, so I used to watch a lot of those, especially Disney movies which had great musical scores. TV, and especially the kids shows on PBS, were also a great source of music, entertainment and learning.
Our family also had an upright piano which I liked to bang on every now and again. I always considered it beyond me and overly difficult to use proficiently as I could never play the songs I heard in movies and on TV. I didn’t understand how someone could actually “play” the piano. To top it off, I went to a tiny rural school of about 30 kids (K-8) and we always had an hour of choir every day. There was also an optional band class in which I participated since pretty much everyone at the school did. I ended up playing the clarinet since we didn’t have any clarinet players at that time. I haven’t played in at least a decade — I doubt my lungs could handle it now!
What’s the story behind the name Henry Krinkle?
It comes from the movie “Taxi Driver” which I was really into before I came up with the concept for Henry Krinkle.
I know that you’re a big fan of Aphex Twin, múm and Boards of Canada. What was it about their music that inspired you?
Playfulness.
When did you first realize that you had something special?
I never thought of it as something special. It is a specialization but I don’t see any of my work as particularly innovative or worthy of historical note. It would be interesting and personally satisfying to stumble upon a groundbreaking innovation but the future remains to be seen.
What do you think makes you and your type of music unique from other artists?
It’s all a product of how my brain happened to turn out. A melange of countless influences run through my own filters and spat back out at the world. Everyone does this so it isn’t unique in that sense but I have difficulty analyzing my own music and deciding what about it makes it unique beyond the obvious fact that I as a unique individual brought it about.
You’ve lived in many places (Estonia, Shanghai, Florida) and as a musician you’ve also travelled extensively – where has been your favourite place so far?
This is an impossible question because places are more than their spatial location, they are also temporal. Time and place are woven together with every experience one had there, good and bad. To say I have a favourite place that isn’t my current location might produce an obsessive longing for the past or perhaps an irrational resentment of current circumstances. I have no interest in manufacturing neuroses for myself.
That isn’t to say I don’t have fond memories of my life’s previous chapters. When revisiting memories, all the places we’ve been are snapshots of past selves. It’s a wonderful treasure trove brimming with nostalgia, sorrow, joy and experience which can be drawn upon as a source of knowledge, inspiration and entertainment. Factor in the fact that places are inextricably tied together with the other people who inhabit them at any given time and the question of favorite becomes highly personal almost to the point of meaninglessness to others.
I don’t have a favourite place and am generally content wherever I find myself.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment to date?
I would say that getting to China was the most significant feat I’ve accomplished. It’s funny how such a simple action can have such significant consequences on the course of one’s life.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Interacting with humans.
If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be and why?
For vocals I’ve been recently thinking how cool it would be to be able to work with Andrea Estella or Lykke Li. As far as producing music, I think being able to learn from someone like Brian Eno, Steve Reich or Phillip Glass would be really enlightening.
Favourite album of 2015 so far and why?
I don’t think I’ve even listened to a contemporary album this year. I think this is at least a year old, but I discovered Jon Hopkin’s Immunity (Alseep versions) about six months ago and I ended up listening to that album on repeat for about a week.
It’s been great catching up with you. I can’t wait for more music 🙂
Words by Moe Topping.
You must be logged in to post a comment.