about

Contact & booking: laura.launau (a) gmail.com
Press kit (opens in Dropbox)

Bio

Lau Nau, aka Laura Naukkarinen, is a Finnish composer whose music is imbued with an idiosyncratic, finely honed sound world. Her palette often consists of traditional instruments, singing voice, modular synthesisers, reel-to-reel tape recorders and field recordings.

To date Lau Nau has released ten albums on record labels in Europe, USA and Japan and a large number of collaborative releases. 2023 saw her releasing two albums: “5 x 4” which is recorded with the Buchla 200 synthesiser at Elektronmusikstudion Stockholm, and “Aphrilis” which is an ensemble album of songs, recorded with Pekko Käppi, Hermanni Yli-Tepsa, Matti Bye, Topias Tiheäsalo and Samuli Kosminen, who also co-produced an mixed the album.

Lau Nau is also known for her music to films and multi channel sound installations. In her role as a sound designer she won the Finnish State Prize for the Performing Arts 2021 with the working group of Huoneiden kirja and her original score for Katja Gauriloff’s film Je’vida earned her the Jussi Prize 2024. She has toured abroad for over 20 years, playing in venues such as Super Deluxe in Tokyo, the Lab & Castro Theatre in San Francisco and Knitting Factory, Blank Forms & Issue Project Room in New York.

Lau Nau plays live concerts often as a solo artist, but within possibilities tours with the band Seitsemäs Taivas, which includes Topias Tiheäsalo and Hermanni Yli-Tepsa, and in special occasions Pekko Käppi and Matti Bye. Other past and present members of her live bands have been Samuli Kosminen (who has also co-produced and mixed two Lau Nau albums), Poseidon choir, visualist Pauliina Mäkelä, Antti Tolvi, Jaakko Tolvi, Niko Karlsson and special guests depending on the location.

Besides of Lau Nau, Laura Naukkarinen plays also in an improvisational group Kiri Ra! with Linda Fredriksson and Matti Bye and in duo with Matti Bye. She has been playing in various improv bands as IAX, Maailma, Hertta Lussu Ässä, Kiila, Avarus, the Anaksimandros, Päivänsäde, Kemialliset Ystävät, Chamellows and others.

Prizes and nominations:

2024 Svenska kulturfonden Åboland: Svenska dagens pris / Swedish day’s prize

2024 Jussi prize for the best original music for the film Je’vida.
2024 Nominations for Indie Awards, best album & best artist categories.
2022 Nomination for Teosto Prize.
2021 Finnish State Art Prize for performative arts for the sound design for Huoneiden Kirja.
2021 Nomination for Hyundai Nordic Music Prize.
2021 Nomination for the European film music prize Camille.
2020 Berlinale Talent.
2018 Femma prize, main category.
2018 Nomination for Emma prize, critic’s choice category.
2014 Kemiönsaaren lähettiläs prize.
2014 Nomination for Jussi prize, category best original music for a film.
2013 Nomination for Teosto prize for the compositions on the album “Valohiukkanen”.
2013 Nomination for Emma and Femma prizes.
2010 Kemiönsaaren kulttuuripalkinto prize.

Albums

Mini albums, EPs

Compositions for ensembles:

2022 Sähkökitarakvartetti: Lfolfolfo’s. Tampere Biennale 2022. Released on album Sähkökitarakvartetti: I
2022 Poseidon choir: Chorus Sinensis. Pori Art Museum 2022 and audiovisual art installation
2021 defunensemble: For Buchla ja Field Piece. Nordic music days Glasgow 2024 and d(XI)e-festivaali Helsinki 2021

Collaborations and appearances on records:

KO:MI: Belonging in Nature (Minna Records, Finland 2025)
Miaou: The Only Way to Find You (Teto records, Japan 2023)
Daniel Bürkner: Landschaft aus Papier (2021)
Absolute Key: Puut kantavat valoa (Finland, 2020)
Sontag Shogun: Floréal Ep (Beacon Sound, USA 2019)
Dire Wolves: Oceans of Green, LP, digital (Feeding Tube, USA 2017)
Dire Wolves: Excursions in Cloudland, LP, digital (Beyond Beyond is Beyond, USA 2017)
Enrico Coniglio & Matteo Uggeri: Open to the Sea (DRONARIVM, Italy 2017)
AGF & Various: Kuuntele! CD & Digital (AGF Producktion 2013, Finland)
Joshua Burkett: Xavier’s birds 7″ (Time-Lag Records 2013, USA)
Kuupuu: Sisar LP (EM Records 2013, Japan)
Kiila: Tuota tuota (Fonal Records, Finland 2009)
Matti Bye: Drömt CD (Rotor 2009, Sweden)
QBICO V UNITE – Lauhkeat Lampaat with Kuupuu & Lau Nau, LP (QBICO 2007, Italy)
Kemialliset Ystävät: – CD & LP & Digital (Fonal 2007, Finland)
Lauhkeat Lampaat: The most pöllö LP (QBICO 2006, Italy)
Es: Sateenkaarisuudelma LP (K-raak3 2005, Begium)
Lauhkeat Lampaat: Mystery of Hyyry, MC (POK 2005, Finland)
Maniacs Dream: Die Learn No Way, LP (HP Cycle 2005)
Kemialliset Ystävät: NUUHA NI HAKA (Jewelled Antler Library 2004, USA)
Maniacs Dream, split 7″ w/ Munuaissymposium 1960 (Lal Lal Lal 2004)
Avarus: Jänis vaahteran hännänkieliset seikkailut, 7″, (Audiobot 2004 [Belgia])
Master QSH, MC (Lal Lal Lal 2003)
The Anaksimandros: Camels Running through Life, MC (Lal Lal Lal, 2000)
Kemialliset Ystävät, split LP w/Echo is your love (If Society 1999)
Kemialliset Ystävät, CD-R (Huutomerkki 1998)

On compilation records:

Kalevala elävänä tai kuolleena vol 2, Hilja Grönfors & Lau Nau: Päivälintu, digital (Vallila music, Finland 2022)
The sound of Kontula, Lau Nau & Seitsemäs taivas: Adria, digital (Kontula electronic, Finland 2020)
New Galactic Windows 3, Lau Nau: Caprellidira, cassette (Ikuisuus, Finland 2020)
Casiotone compilation 7, Lau Nau: SA-10, mini cd-r (Aotoao, Japan 2017)
Communion of Saints, Lau Nau: Miserere (St Cecilia), digital (Brave Mysteries, USA 2017)
Benefit for the recovery in Japan, Lau Nau: Oi Kuolema, CD (Antiopic 2011)
A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding in Your Mind 3, Lau Nau: Kuljen halki kuutarhan, CD (Amorphous Androgynous, UK 2010)
Rough Trade Shops: Psych Folk, Lau Nau: Ruususuu, CD (Rough Trade, USA 2010)
Witching Hour, Lau Nau: Keskellä yötä, cd-r (Claudia, New Zealand 2006)
Maan Matoset, Lau Nau: Keinu taipuu alla, cd-r (POK, Finland 2005)
Gold Leaf Branches, Lau Nau: Hidas kuula, CD (Digitalis, USA 2005)