{{Short description|Finnish instrumental band}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = SlowHill | image = slowhill.jpg | caption = SlowHill members Slow (Vellu Maurola) and Tapani Rinne | origin = Helsinki, Finland | genre = Jazz, electronic, lounge, downtempo | years_active = 2002–present | label = Blue Note Records, Plastinka Records, Universal Music, | website = {{URL|www.slowhill.com}} | current_members = Slow, Tapani Rinne }}
'''SlowHill''' are a Finnish instrumental downtempo/lounge band formed in 2002 by Slow (aka Vellu Maurola) and award-winning saxophonist Tapani Rinne. The band fuses downtempo beats into easy listening jazz atmospheres.
==History== SlowHill have released four albums via various record labels.
Their debut album, ''Finndisc'', was the first electronica album released by the jazz label Blue Note in Finland. It was subsequently released by Blue Note in the UK, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://backstage.meteli.net/uutiset/|title=Keikkauutisia ja menovinkkejä: Stadin juhannus, Flow, Wovenhand, Mumford & Sons, Subhumans, Elias Gould, Bryan Ferry|website=Backstage.meteli.net|access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref> The band unearthed and sampled classic jazz records from the vaults of EMI Finland, which owns Blue Note's catalogue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/finndisc-slowhill-blue-note-records-review-by-matthew-wuethrich|title=Slowhill: Finndisc album review |website=Allaboutjazz.com|date=11 June 2002 |access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref> Jazz artists sampled include Heikki Sarmanto, Teuvo Suojärvi, Mike Koskinen, Carita Holmström and Pekka Pohjola.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/pekka-pohjola |title=Pekka Pohjola | Jazz | Bass |access-date=2010-08-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111226034931/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=17871 |archive-date=2011-12-26 }}</ref> Pohjola's sample, used on the track "Valo", was also used by DJ Shadow on his track "Midnight in a Perfect World" from ''Endtroducing.....''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/2777/DJ-Shadow-Midnight-in-a-Perfect-World-Pekka-Pohjola-The-Madness-Subsides/|title=DJ Shadow's 'Midnight in a Perfect World' - Discover the Sample Source|website=WhoSampled.com|access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref>
The band’s second album, ''Fennika'', was released by Plastinka Records in 2005. It features a track composed for a Pablo Neruda poem<ref>{{cite web |url=http://plaza.fi/kaista/musiikki/haastattelut/slowhill-ja-kumikisun-arvoitus |title=SlowHill ja Kumikisun arvoitus – Dome.fi |access-date=2010-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716060356/http://plaza.fi/kaista/musiikki/haastattelut/slowhill-ja-kumikisun-arvoitus |archive-date=2012-07-16 }}</ref> and samples from Rajaton’s song "Butterfly".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.findance.com/arvostelut/665/slowhill-fennika |title=SlowHill : Fennika arvostelu Findance.com |access-date=2010-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723025518/http://www.findance.com/arvostelut/665/slowhill-fennika |archive-date=2011-07-23 }}</ref>
The band’s third album, ''Muzak'', was released in June 2010 by Universal Music Finland. Guest musicians include violinist Pekka Kuusisto on electric guitars,<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://plaza.fi/kaista/musiikki/haastattelut/haastattelu-slowhill-pysayttaa-kellot-ainakin-hetkeksi |title=Haastattelu: SlowHill pysäyttää kellot - ainakin hetkeksi – Kaista – Plaza |access-date=2010-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708214207/http://plaza.fi/kaista/musiikki/haastattelut/haastattelu-slowhill-pysayttaa-kellot-ainakin-hetkeksi |archive-date=2010-07-08 }}</ref> percussionist Teho Majamäki and vocalist Siiri Nordin. It also marks the appearance of the first cover song by SlowHill: Rauno Lehtinen’s jazz classic "Toiset meistä".<ref name="auto"/>
==Discography==
===Albums=== * ''Finndisc'' (2002) * ''Fennika'' (2005) * ''Muzak'' (2010) * ''Lento'' (2017)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.slowhill.com SlowHill's official webpages]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slowhill}} Category:Finnish electronic music groups Category:Finnish male musicians