The Electronic Evolution of STEREO: A Finnish Side-Project Success
When major mainstream musicians step outside of their comfort zones, magic often happens. For STEREO (often styled as STEREO or referred to in Finnish as Stereo-yhtye), this meant trading stadium rock guitars for high-energy electronic dance music (EDM).
Created as an exciting creative outlet, this short-term yet impactful project captured the attention of Nordic music fans by bringing a fresh, club-ready pulse to the Finnish pop scene.
Origins: Life During the Haloo Helsinki! Hiatus
STEREO was formed by Jere Marttila and Leo Hakanen. If those names sound familiar, it is because the duo is widely known as the stellar guitar-and-songwriting engine behind Haloo Helsinki!, one of Finland’s most successful and enduring rock-pop bands.
When Haloo Helsinki! announced a well-deserved career hiatus in 2018, Marttila and Hakanen didn’t slow down. Instead of taking a complete break from music, they redirected their collective creative energy into an entirely different genre. They wanted to explore electronic production, synthesizers, and modern club beats—giving birth to the electronic duo, STEREO.
Sound and Style: Pushing Boundaries
While Haloo Helsinki! specialized in organic, punchy stadium-rock anthems, STEREO leaned heavily into sleek EDM, synth-pop, and futuristic club production. The project allowed Marttila and Hakanen to experiment with sound design, heavy basslines, and electronic arrangements that they wouldn’t normally bring to their primary rock band.
Despite the shift in genre, their deep-rooted background in pop songwriting remained clear. Even with heavy electronic drops and pulsating digital rhythms, STEREO’s tracks were defined by massive hooks and memorable vocal melodies.
Collaborative Spirit and Notable Releases
Rather than acting as a traditional closed band, STEREO functioned almost like an electronic collective, teaming up with a massive roster of notable Finnish guest vocalists and artists. Their 2018–2019 run yielded a steady stream of infectious singles featuring high-profile names, such as:
- “Bonnie & Clyde” (featuring Ida Paul & Kalle Lindroth)
- “Sä saat mut palasiksi” (featuring Samu Haber)
- “Woo Woo” (featuring rock legend Michael Monroe)
- “Vuosien päästä” (featuring rapper Etta)
By bringing in artists from entirely different corners of the Finnish music industry, STEREO kept their project unpredictable, fresh, and deeply connected to the broader contemporary music scene.
Legacy and Return to Roots
STEREO was always conceptualized as a specific project tied to a specific window of time. As the hiatus of Haloo Helsinki! came to a close, Marttila and Hakanen returned to their primary band to continue releasing chart-topping rock music.
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