LAKI & JÄRJESTYS – A New Single!
The Finnish Oi!/punk rock band Laki & Järjestys (Law & Order) is dropping two singles and an EP in 2024.
The outspoken Oi!/punk rock band releases a gritty ballad at the beginning of June, dragging listeners straight to the harsh and shadowy streets. The new single, Pohjois-Helsinki (North Helsinki), hit all streaming platforms on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
“Pohjois-Helsinki” isn’t just another track—it’s a powerful tribute to Malmi (are in Helsinki) and Helsinki-Malmi-Airport, a historic local airport under threat of being replaced by apartment blocks. Laki & Järjestys captures the raw emotion and gritty reality of this situation, making a stand through the song.
Laki & Järjestys dropped their first release, the 7″ EP Kuka lystin kustantaa? in February 2021 under Hell’s Tone Records. In the summer of 2022, the band unleashed their first full-length album, Uusi aika, available on LP, CD, and all major streaming platforms. The vinyl version of the album was released in November 2022. Uusi aika was named Rock Album of the Year by FinnRadio FM in December 2022.
The new single by Laki & Järjestys, a stark ballad titled “Pohjois-Helsinki,” takes listeners to the shadowy alleys of Malmi and visits the historic Malmi Airport. How did the idea for the song come about, Jussi, the singer of Laki & Järjestys?
“The idea was to create a song about the local neighborhood, so it’s quite purely a love letter to the area. Even though I’m not a native of Helsinki, over the years, Helsinki has undoubtedly become my home city. Settling in Malmi has created a strong emotional bond with the Northern and Northeastern areas of Helsinki.
The song itself is a kind of continuation from the previous album’s track “Rintamamiestalo.” In “Rintamamiestalo,” the story of a post-war house in Northern Helsinki was told through its history. In the new song “Pohjois-Helsinki,” the narrator is the current resident of the post-war house, observing and noting things in their neighborhood.
At the heart of the song is the Vantaa River, which flows through these areas. I cycle a lot all year round and move along the banks of the Vantaa River almost daily. The river has become a significant place for me, where I always feel a strong and good vibe.
As for the Malmi Airport, the song includes a strong political statement, which is unusual for Laki & Järjestys. The city, in its greed and stupidity, plans to bulldoze this historic site and build apartment buildings in its place. They are destroying a diverse nature and recreational area and a historical landmark, creating in its place a massive urban area akin to Suur-Jakomäki.
Overall, ‘Pohjois-Helsinki’ is a powerful personal perspective on one’s own locality, and it marks Kimi’s (the drummer’s) first composition for Laki & Järjestys.”
Seppo Sipilä from the Friends of Malmi Airport Association states that the media has been quite silent about the multifaceted significance of Malmi Airport, so artists highlighting it in their work are important.
“We hope more artists will emerge to bring attention to the issue through their channels, including social media.”
“Pohjois-Helsinki” is available on all streaming platforms. The song is from the upcoming Laki & Järjestys EP “Ei katumusta,” which will be released digitally and as a CD-EP on July 4, 2024.
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