Jukka Kääriäinen & Lauri Hyvärinen

Hailing from Helsinki, electric guitarists Lauri Hyvärinen & Jukka Kääriäinen are key figures in Finland's improvised and experimental music scene. They frequently collaborate with internationally renowned improvisers and premiere contemporary works for electric guitar with their ensemble Sähkökitarakvartetti, constantly reimagining and exploring the sonic possibilities of the electric guitar.

Both Hyvärinen and Kääriäinen are experienced musicians in their own right, having immersed themselves into a wide range of improvised and experimental music forms. The two musicians have performed globally, collaborating with artists such as Seijiro Murayama, Angharad Davies, Axel Dörner, Harri Sjöström, Jone Takamäki, Beat Keller, Ilia Belorukov, Ben Bennett, Jack Wright and Clara de Asís. Additionally they have premiered compositions by Riikka Talvitie, Kalle Kalima, Hafdís Bjarnadóttir, Marja Ahti and Lau Nau, among others.

Their duo formation represents an uncompromising dedication to the electric guitar, improvisation, and experimental music.

The debut album Pulled Apart by Horses (2024) documents the duo’s formative steps. Spanning five tracks, the album navigates a dynamic space between open-ended and predetermined structures, evolving spontaneously through a distinct improvisational approach. Kääriäinen’s recording, Hyvärinen’s meticulous mixing and Ilia Belorukov’s crisp mastering illuminate every detail, capturing the duo's raw energy and delicate interplay with clarity.