Behind the Mixing Board: The Story of STEREO, Finland’s Electronic Alter Ego
When major mainstream rock bands go on hiatus, members usually spend their downtime pursuing quiet solo acoustic projects or resting. However, when Haloo Helsinki!—one of Finland’s most commercially successful pop-rock powerhouses—announced a well-deserved break in late 2018, its masterminds didn’t slow down. Instead, guitarist-songwriters Leo Hakanen and Jere Marttila pivoted sharply into the neon-lit world of electronic dance music, giving birth to STEREO.
From Stadium Rock to Electronic Experimentation
For years, Hakanen and Marttila shaped the stadium-ready, guitar-driven soundscape of Finnish modern pop-rock. Yet, both musicians harbored a long-standing, quiet ambition to submerge themselves entirely in electronic production, club rhythms, and synth-heavy soundscapes.
The temporary hiatus of Haloo Helsinki! provided the ultimate blank canvas. Shedding their traditional rock personas, the duo reinvented themselves as STEREO, a DJ and producer duo explicitly built to explore the boundaries of electronic dance music (EDM), hypnotic beats, and pop-infused club culture.
The 2019 Blitz: 00740 and Star-Studded Collaborations
STEREO’s existence was fiercely concentrated, acting as a high-intensity flash mob project that defined the Finnish music scene throughout 2019. Rather than acting as a traditional band with a fixed lead singer, Hakanen and Marttila functioned as master architects behind the mixing boards, inviting an impressive roster of guest vocalists and artists to front their tracks.
In February 2019, they burst onto the scene with their double-single launch, “Vuosien päästä” (featuring pop artist Etta) and “74”. This initial drop set the tone for what would become a prolific year, culminating in the release of their full-length studio album, 00740, later that fall.
The project thrived on cross-genre chemistry, bringing heavy-hitting Finnish talent into electronic territory:
- “Woo Woo” featured the iconic rock royalty Michael Monroe (of Hanoi Rocks fame), blending gritty rock attitude with driving electronic production.
- “Sä saat mut palasiksi” enlisted pop singer Samu Haber.
- Other standout collaborations featured artists like Aste, Ida Paul & Kalle Lindroth, and Sini Yasemin.
The Live Experience and Legacy
STEREO didn’t just live in the recording studio. In April 2019, they made their explosive live debut at Helsinki’s historic Old Student House (Vanha Ylioppilastalo) during a Red Bull Music-backed event, quickly transitioning to high-energy festival stages across Finland that summer.
True to its conceptual design, STEREO remained a localized, specific chapter tied directly to Haloo Helsinki!’s pause. Once the parent band regrouped for their triumphant return, STEREO stepped back into the shadows. Yet, looking back, the project stands out as a bold creative detour—proof that world-class musicianship can effortlessly cross boundaries, transforming stadium guitarists into elite architects of the modern dance floor.
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