Putting his faith in the natural world around him, Deeper Tales, sees Above & Beyond’s Paavo Siljamäki reconnect with the dance floor, and himself, for his debut solo album under his P.O.S alias.
Writer, producer, and DJ – Paavo is one-third of the ground-breaking, record-breaking British dance institution Above & Beyond, founders of London-based label Anjunabeats. Double GRAMMY-nominated, RIAA Gold Certified artists, the band has rocked festival stages and iconic live institutions alike, from Glastonbury, EDC, and Creamfields, to the Royal Albert Hall and Madison Square Garden.
However, the last five years have seen Paavo face a succession of personal and health-related challenges, including several battles with Covid. “I had a burnout, basically. I just couldn’t see what I wanted to do. And after my burnout, I was like: what is dance music to me? I don’t really know even if I like it. I’ve heard – I’ve written – too many build-ups! So I thought: that’s me done,” Paavo says.
Finding solace in nature, inspiration rekindled; first with Above & Beyond’s ambient mindfulness and mediation album ‘Flow State’, and then a return to dance floor-orientated sounds. “There’s no feeling of freedom like being at sea,” he adds. “When I’m sailing, I synchronize with the sunrise and sunset – we almost always get up at sunrise. So this is like being really aligned with nature. I found that, after my burnout, and Covid, I really found myself in nature. There’s something about being closer with nature that is really healing – and very inspiring.”
Now living on board the Swedish boat he now calls home, Paavo re-immersed himself into the club culture that had first caught his imagination as a 15-year-old rave kid, from the dance floors of Ibiza to the desert raves of Burning Man. His Deeper Tales album reflects his experiences of late; soulful, heart-on-sleeve club records with many debuted during Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy 500 and Anjunadeep Open Air L.A. celebrations last autumn. LINK
Deeper Tales’ lead single pairs P.O.S with anamē, for an adaptation of ‘Lonely River’ by Kyan. “I discovered Kyan originally because we were looking for a singer for the Above & Beyond acoustic tour. He’s an incredible pianist, and an incredible singer and songwriter. It didn’t work out for him to be the singer on the acoustic tour, but ever since, I was like: this guy, I really, really want to do something with him”
Follow Me