DE CONSTRUCT

London, 2026

Otto Rissanen is a Finnish composer, guitarist, and performance maker based in Rotterdam. In his own words, his music sits somewhere between Nordic jazz, minimalism and contemporary classical, with a Björk-like sense of playful instrumentation — all infused with a touch of the surreal, the absurd, and a subtle unease. His debut album, de Construct, exists at the intersection of music and theatre. It reflects a creative approach where multiple worlds collide — where opposites coexist, and where sound, action and image are given equal importance. At its core, de Construct is a journey: between chaos and order, improvisation and composition, construction and deconstruction.

Described by Rissanen as an absurd and chaotic journey of growing up, de Construct moves freely between avant-garde, minimalism and free jazz. The central idea revolves around building and dismantling sound — assembling musical structures only to break them apart again, often in unexpected ways. A remarkable ensemble of musicians surrounds Rissanen in this project, including Beatrice Sberna, Andrew Moreno, Andrea Leone, Jurriaan de Kok, Branko Valchev, Mireia Costa Viladrich, Santiago Velo Quintaros and Flora de Geus. Their collective presence gives the album a strong sense of dialogue — a constant exchange of ideas rather than a fixed musical direction.

“Construct I” opens the album in apparent disorder, a fragmented landscape where winds and strings seem to search for direction. Gradually, however, the piece begins to take shape, as if order is slowly emerging from chaos. Interjections from guitar and bowed strings punctuate the texture, creating moments of clarity within the instability. “Construct II”, acting almost as a mirror, closes the project with a more intimate conversation — this time between the voice of Sberna and the guitar of Moreno, bringing a sense of fragile resolution. The three “Shouts I–III” act as recurring interruptions. They break the flow of the album deliberately, injecting surprise and reinforcing the idea of what might be called an “agreeable chaos”. Rather than disrupting the listening experience negatively, they energise it, constantly resetting the listener’s expectations. The spoken interventions of de Geus further heighten this effect, drawing attention back to language and meaning, and inviting a more attentive, almost theatrical listening. “Whispers” shifts the atmosphere entirely. Here, the focus moves towards delicacy: the subtle textures of bowed strings and the natural voice blend into an almost ethereal sound world. It is a moment of suspension, where time seems to slow down. “Talking and Talking and Talking and…” introduces a more grounded, almost narrative quality, reminiscent at times of the Americana-inflected approach of Bill Frisell. This sense of continuity is abruptly interrupted by “Not Listening, Not Listening, Not…”, a freer and more fragmented piece that reintroduces the element of controlled chaos. The two pieces together create a striking contrast, held loosely together by the recurring presence of a military-style snare drum. “As all the Rest” brings the guitar back to the forefront, anchoring the piece with an ostinato figure. Around it, winds and strings unfold contrasting rhythmic ideas, creating a texture that recalls elements of American minimalism. There is a sense of grounding here, yet the instability never fully disappears. “Doing, Doing, Doing” continues along this line, hinting again at Frisell’s influence, but also evoking something of Copland in its openness. Gradually, however, the piece morphs into something more chaotic — almost Zappa-esque — where structured ideas dissolve into an organised cacophony of sound. “Silver & Gold”, one of the quieter moments of the album, introduces metallic textures beneath Sberna’s spoken voice. It leaves the listener in a state of ambiguity: is this music playful or serious, ironic or deeply considered? The piece seems to resist a clear answer, existing somewhere between humour and intellectual construction — or perhaps embracing both at once.

As the presentation of de Construct suggests, whether one seeks to be soothed, unsettled, or surprised, the album offers all of it — often within the same piece. It is a work that does not aim for comfort, but rather for engagement. At times challenging, even uncomfortable, it remains consistently thoughtful in its construction and execution.

What makes de Construct particularly compelling is its balance between intention and unpredictability. Beneath the apparent chaos lies a strong sense of direction, a carefully crafted architecture that reveals itself gradually.

For a debut, it feels remarkably mature. Rissanen presents himself not only as a composer, but as an artist with a clear vision and a willingness to take risks. de Construct introduces a musical voice that is both distinctive and restless — one that embraces contradiction and thrives within it.