Yotto
Yotto (born Otto Yliperttula on October 8, 1986) is a Finnish DJ, record producer, and songwriter known for his contributions to electronic dance music, particularly in the deep house genre.[1][2] Based in Helsinki, he has built a global reputation through melodic, atmospheric tracks that blend emotional depth with dancefloor energy.[3] Yotto's career gained significant momentum in the late 2010s, marked by his debut album Hyperfall released in 2018 on Anjunadeep, which topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart and amassed over 15 million streams.[2][4] He has performed at major festivals including Coachella, Tomorrowland, and Electric Zoo, and earned accolades such as a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix feature, five "Essential New Tune" selections from Pete Tong, and three "Hottest Record in the World" picks on Annie Mac's show.[2][4] His remixes for artists like Coldplay, Gorillaz, Röyksopp, and RÜFÜS DU SOL have further solidified his influence in the electronic scene.[2][4] In 2019, Yotto founded his own record label, Odd One Out, debuting with the single "Shifter" and expanding to release his own works alongside emerging producers, emphasizing quality electronic music for immersive experiences.[4][1] Recent projects include the 2025 launch of the ANTI series on Odd One Out with ANTI 01, and the single "Love Shop" in collaboration with Something Good, alongside an ongoing world tour spanning Australia, North America, and Europe through early 2026.[5][6][7][8]Early life and background
Childhood in Helsinki
Otto Yliperttula, known professionally as Yotto, was born on October 8, 1986, in Helsinki, Finland.[2] He grew up in the Finnish capital, immersed in its urban cultural landscape, which included access to local libraries and community activities that fostered early curiosity.[2] Yliperttula was raised in a highly musical family environment that naturally exposed him to instruments from a young age, with his parents encouraging creative expression through sound.[9] His father was a former rock musician, while other family members, including his mother who sang and relatives who played drums, piano, and violin, filled the household with constant musical activity.[10][11] He has two younger siblings involved in music: a sister who is a violinist and a brother who sang in Finland's oldest boys' choir.[2] Beyond music, Yliperttula's childhood included non-musical pursuits that contributed to his creative development, such as engaging with Helsinki's local scene through school and outdoor activities. His parents restricted computer games, steering him away from digital distractions and toward hands-on interests.[11] As a teenager, he became involved in skateboard culture, which provided a physical and social outlet in the city's parks and streets, helping shape his independent and exploratory mindset.[12] Around age 14, Yliperttula began transitioning toward more structured musical pursuits, building on his early familial influences.[11]Initial musical training
Yotto, born Otto Yliperttula, began his formal musical education with classical piano lessons in his early childhood, a pursuit influenced by his family's musical environment where both parents were inclined toward music and his sibling pursued vocals, providing early access to instruments.[9][3] He continued these lessons regularly until approximately age 14, developing foundational skills in piano performance and music theory during this period.[13] However, Yotto grew disinterested in the structured classical approach and decided to discontinue formal training around that time, seeking greater creative freedom.[9] In his teenage years in Helsinki, Yotto transitioned to self-taught methods in electronic music production, experimenting with digital audio workstations and basic equipment in home setups.[13][12] This shift marked his initial foray into creating amateur tracks, often produced in his bedroom using computer-based tools to explore rhythms and synth sounds, laying the groundwork for his later professional work without any formal instruction in electronic genres.[9]Career beginnings
Formation of Something Good
Something Good was a Finnish electronic music duo formed in the late 2000s by producers Otto Yliperttula and Karolus Viitala in Helsinki.[14][12] The collaboration emerged as a creative outlet for the pair, who drew from self-taught production techniques honed during their teenage years experimenting with electronic sounds.[12] The duo's debut release, the "Loop" / "Hanko" EP, arrived in 2009 via Silk Royal Records, featuring upbeat, melodic progressive house tracks that showcased their early affinity for atmospheric, groove-oriented compositions.[12] This initial output was followed by additional demos and singles on independent labels like Nellie Recordings and Nocturnal Groove, including the 2012 track "Before Dawn," which highlighted their evolving style blending soft, summery vibes with deeper house elements.[15][12] Motivated by a desire to break into the burgeoning electronic scene, Something Good positioned itself as a launchpad for Yliperttula and Viitala's professional aspirations, focusing on collaborative production amid the challenges of limited resources and a nascent local industry in Finland.[14] Their early efforts involved honing demos in Helsinki's underground circuit, laying the groundwork for broader recognition without relying on formal training beyond personal experimentation.[12]Signing with Anjunadeep
In 2015, following the effective end of his production duo Something Good, Finnish producer Otto Yliperttula, known as Yotto, advanced his solo career and secured a pivotal deal with Anjunadeep, the deep house imprint founded by Above & Beyond.[16] Prior to the signing, Yotto had begun releasing solo material, including a remix of Pierce Fulton's "Kuaga" in November 2014 on CR2 Records and the All I Want / Cycle EP in October 2014 on SoSure Music.[17][18] The signing process began when Yotto's "Kuaga" remix caught the attention of the Anjunadeep team. Impressed, Above & Beyond invited him to submit a DJ mix featuring his unreleased originals for their Group Therapy radio show; instead of broadcasting it, they opted to sign him directly to the label based on the quality of the material.[2][19] Yotto's debut on Anjunadeep arrived with the Memento / Azzurro EP, released on May 25, 2015.[20] The two-track release featured the atmospheric, bass-driven "Memento" and the piano-led "Azzurro," both showcasing his melodic deep house style with intricate builds and emotional depth. Tracks from the EP quickly gained traction, with "Azzurro" premiering in James Grant's Anjunadeep Edition 50 mix, signaling early label support.[21] Later that year, Yotto followed up with the Wondering EP on August 28, 2015, further solidifying his presence on the label.[22] This three-track effort included the vocal-driven title track featuring his brother CAPS, alongside "Slowly" and "Coming Back to You," blending soulful elements with driving rhythms. The EP received positive acclaim within the electronic music scene for its emotive production and seamless integration into Anjunadeep's roster, earning plays from prominent DJs and contributing to Yotto's emerging reputation as a fresh talent in deep house.[9]Rise to prominence
Key releases and remixes
Yotto's breakthrough in the mid-2010s was marked by a series of impactful singles and remixes released through Anjunadeep, which showcased his evolving melodic house sound and garnered attention from industry tastemakers.[23] His 2016 single "The Owls," released on July 1 via Anjunadeep, became a defining track in his catalog, blending atmospheric builds with emotive melodies inspired by Twin Peaks.[23][24] The release positioned Yotto as one of the year's breakout stars, achieving widespread acclaim for its dancefloor resonance and emotional depth, and is often cited as his most successful original production to date.[24][25] That same year, Yotto delivered high-profile remixes that expanded his reach beyond underground circuits. His rework of Coldplay's "Adventure of a Lifetime," released digitally on March 28, transformed the pop hit into a progressive house anthem with pulsating basslines and euphoric drops, premiering exclusively on Billboard.[26][27] Similarly, his minimalist remix of RÜFÜS' "Like an Animal," unveiled in January, earned immediate praise from BBC Radio 1's Pete Tong, who selected it as his Essential New Tune for its spacious production suited to large venues.[28] Building on this momentum, Yotto issued the "North" EP on October 6, 2017, via Anjunadeep, featuring five tracks including "Ghost Signal," "Off the Grid," "North," "Isolation," and "Edge of Affection."[29] The EP highlighted his signature introspective style, with tracks like the title cut emphasizing vast, cinematic soundscapes that further solidified his reputation in melodic house.[29] These releases contributed to Yotto being named an "Artist to Watch" for 2016 by electronic music outlet LessThan3, recognizing his rapid ascent and innovative contributions to the genre.[30]Debut album and recognition
Yotto's debut album, Hyperfall, was released on September 7, 2018, via the Anjunadeep label.Hyperfall topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Album Sales chart.[31] The 13-track project marked a significant milestone in his career, compiling a collection of melodic progressive house compositions that blended emotional depth with club-ready energy.[32][33] Key tracks included the cinematic title track "Hyperfall," which drew from 1980s soundtrack influences for its dramatic, beatless structure; "The One You Left Behind," a collaborative effort featuring Icelandic band Vök that infused a heartfelt love song narrative into a driving club beat; and "Kantsu," showcasing intricate melodic layers.[34] Other highlights like "Turn It Around" and "Nada C" explored themes of time, space, and introspection through evolving instrumentation.[35] The production of Hyperfall took place primarily in Yotto's home studio in Helsinki, where he began each track with a foundational element such as a kickdrum or melody before layering in elements using software like FL Studio alongside hardware synths from Korg and Dave Smith, as well as guitar pedals for texture.[36] Drawing from his classical piano background and early exposures to 1990s electronic acts like The Chemical Brothers and Orbital—discovered through Finnish library vinyl collections—Yotto aimed to create a cohesive narrative journey that balanced dark, club-oriented moments with brighter, feel-good interludes reflective of his Scandinavian influences and long winters.[34] He described the album as a "big mixture of what I am all about musically," designed to feel equally compelling in a club setting or during a personal commute.[36] The process emphasized storytelling, with tracks melding into a unified experience rather than standalone singles, though some were refined through international collaborations, such as enhancing "The One You Left Behind" with Vök's lyrics after initial creation in France.[36][37] The release of Hyperfall solidified Yotto's rising status, following his BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix debut on January 27, 2018, which featured unreleased material and highlighted his melodic, melancholic style to a global audience.[38] The album received notable support from BBC Radio 1 tastemakers like Pete Tong and Annie Mac, alongside endorsements from DJs including Solomun, Jamie Jones, and Eric Prydz.[39] This recognition propelled festival appearances throughout 2018, including sets at Lightning in a Bottle in California, Rapture Electronic Music Festival in Miami, and Anjunadeep Open Air at The Brooklyn Mirage in New York.[40][41][42] Hyperfall also achieved substantial streaming traction, with the album and its singles amassing millions of plays on platforms like Spotify, contributing to Yotto's growing international fanbase.[43]Later career and projects
Second album and Odd One Out label
In 2023, Yotto released his second studio album, Growth, on February 2 via his independent label Odd One Out, marking a significant milestone in his artistic progression following the 2018 debut Hyperfall.[44][45] The album, comprising 13 tracks, explores themes of personal evolution and emotional introspection, serving as a culmination of Yotto's creative journey and a reflection of his growth as a producer over the preceding five years.[44][46] Key tracks on Growth delve into motifs of self-discovery and transformation, blending melodic house with ambient and euphoric elements. For instance, "Hollow" featuring MØØNE delivers an emotional melody that evokes vulnerability and renewal, while "Meadow" with Sansa incorporates soft, whispered vocals over gentle progressions to symbolize serene personal reflection.[44] Other standout pieces like "Radiate" featuring Julia Sanina and "North" with Joe Killington build to uplifting crescendos, representing stages of expansion and forward momentum in one's life narrative.[44] The album's title track, "Growth," encapsulates this ethos with its expansive soundscape, underscoring Yotto's emphasis on boundary-pushing production that inspires listeners to embrace change.[44][47] Yotto founded Odd One Out in the summer of 2019 as an independent venture to gain greater creative control, allowing him to curate and release music that aligns closely with his vision without the constraints of external labels.[48] The label's ethos centers on quality-driven, eccentric electronic sounds tailored for immersive experiences—"music for open hearts and closed eyes"—drawing from Yotto's quirky DJ persona and influences from admired artists with their own imprints.[48][49] It debuted with Yotto's singles "Shifter," "Nova," and "Is This Trance?," establishing a platform for both his work and emerging talent, with early plans for artist compilations realized through subsequent signings like 8Kays in 2021.[48][50] By releasing Growth on Odd One Out, Yotto asserted full artistic independence, particularly after his long association with Anjunadeep since 2015, enabling unfiltered expression of his evolving style and support for like-minded creators.[48][51] This move highlighted the label's role in fostering a space for experimental melodic house, free from major label oversight, and positioned it as a key element in Yotto's post-Hyperfall trajectory.[44]Recent releases and tours
In 2025, Yotto released the album Odd Ones V3 on January 9 through his Odd One Out label, serving as a curated showcase of progressive house and techno tracks from various artists aligned with the label's ethos.[52][53][54] The eight-track collection, featuring contributions like "Antics Ensue" by Raiku, emphasized melodic and deep techno elements, continuing Yotto's role in fostering emerging talent within the electronic scene.[55] Throughout 2025, Yotto issued several key singles that highlighted his evolving sound, including "Love Parade" in collaboration with Cassian and Da Hool on Afterlife Records, which amassed over 1.2 million Spotify streams and topped Beatport's melodic house & techno chart with 4,642 points.[56][57] "Somebody to Love," a joint effort with Eli & Fur released on March 13 via Odd One Out, garnered nearly 3 million Spotify streams and received acclaim for its emotive melodic house production.[58][59] Additional releases included "Love Shop" with Something Good on Anjunadeep in May, blending nostalgic house vibes, and the introspective "Seventeen" with Joris Voorn and White Lies, which achieved 1.5 million Spotify streams.[8][60] Culminating the year's output, the EP ANTI 01 dropped on October 23 on Odd One Out, comprising four tracks such as "Call Me Back" and "Flash Pattern" designed for high-energy dancefloors, marking the start of a planned series.[61][62] Yotto maintained a rigorous touring schedule in 2024 and 2025, blending festival appearances with club residencies to promote his latest material. In 2025, he headlined the closing set at Anjunadeep Open Air London on August 10 at the Old Royal Naval College, delivering a two-hour performance that integrated tracks from Odd Ones V3 and recent singles.[63][64] He followed with a slot at We Belong Here Miami on March 1-2, captivating audiences with immersive melodic sets at Virginia Key Beach Park.[65] Later that year, Yotto performed at Tomorrowland Brasil from October 10-12 in São Paulo, where his set emphasized high-impact tracks like "Love Parade."[65] Wrapping up the period, he embarked on Australian dates in November, including shows at UniBar in Adelaide on November 14, White Bay Powerstation in Sydney on November 15, and Riviera Beach Club in Melbourne on November 16, alongside the "ANTI" tour kickoff at Gold Bar Hangar in San Francisco on November 21.[6][66][67] These performances underscored Yotto's global draw, with recent tracks consistently charting on Beatport and accumulating millions of streams across platforms.[68][69]Musical style and influences
Genre evolution
Yotto's musical journey began with roots in classical music and hip hop, shaping his early production sensibilities before transitioning into electronic genres. Influenced by classical compositions for their structural depth and hip hop for rhythmic innovation, he initially explored these elements in personal projects during his formative years in Finland. By 2015, following his signing with Anjunadeep—a label renowned for deep and progressive house—Yotto fully embraced progressive house and melodic house, marking a pivotal shift toward club-oriented soundscapes with layered synths and emotive builds.[70][71] This evolution deepened with the release of his debut album Hyperfall in 2018, where he incorporated ambient textures through dark, synth-driven melodies and shimmering atmospheres, alongside trance-like spine-tingling transitions that added hypnotic depth. Tracks on the album evoked melancholy and solitude, blending these elements with accessible pop-infused vocals and melodies to create a more introspective progressive house framework. By his sophomore album Growth in 2023, Yotto further integrated ambient explorations in ethereal openings and trance codas with booming, hypnotic beats, structuring the project as a cohesive narrative journey through enchanted, emotive terrains.[72][73] In the 2020s, Yotto's style matured into emotional, narrative-driven tracks that prioritize storytelling over conventional drops, evident in cathartic vocal integrations and thematic progressions across releases. This period saw heightened pop sensibilities in catchy hooks and pumping bass lines, allowing his progressive house to resonate beyond dancefloors with broader emotional accessibility. This trajectory continued into 2025 with releases like the "Love Shop" single and the ANTI 01 EP on Odd One Out, featuring layered synths, deep basslines, and polished rhythms in melodic house and techno.[73][70][74][8]Inspirations and production techniques
Yotto's early musical influences were shaped by a diverse range of genres, beginning with classical piano lessons during his childhood, which he later admitted to shirking in favor of more exploratory pursuits. Growing up in a musical family in Finland, he was exposed to classic rock acts like Pink Floyd, disco, and heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, whose energetic style particularly resonated with him during his teenage years immersed in skateboard culture. This period also introduced him to West Coast hip-hop, which contributed to his broad appreciation for rhythmic and cultural elements outside traditional electronic music.[9][75][76] Transitioning to electronic production as a self-taught artist, Yotto began experimenting at age 12 with pianos and synthesizers, evolving his skills through trial and error without formal training in the genre. His process emphasizes experimentation, often starting with a core melodic or percussive idea and building layers to evoke emotion, influenced by 1990s progressive house pioneers like Sasha, John Digweed, and Hernán Cattáneo. In progressive house tracks, he crafts emotional builds by contrasting bright, clear synth elements with muffled, de-tuned textures, creating depth and tension that mirrors his personal mood or environmental inspirations, such as travels or seasonal changes.[75][48][77] Yotto employs a hybrid setup for production, utilizing software like Ableton Live and FL Studio alongside hardware synthesizers including the Moog Subsequent 37, Dave Smith Instruments Prophet, and Korg Minilogue to layer intricate synth progressions. He favors classic plug-ins from UAD, Waves, and Native Instruments to refine sounds, prioritizing original textures over pre-processed samples to maintain emotional authenticity in his melodic house and techno output. Through his label Odd One Out, launched in 2019, Yotto curates releases that extend this experimental ethos, focusing on eccentric electronic sounds blending melodic techno with surreal, atmospheric elements reflective of his quirky artistic persona.[77][36][48]Discography
Studio albums
Yotto's debut studio album, Hyperfall, was released on September 7, 2018, through Anjunadeep.[78] The 13-track project delves into introspective themes, drawing from personal experiences of distress, helplessness, and emotional surrealism, as detailed in the artist's track-by-track breakdown.[79] His sophomore effort, Growth, arrived on February 2, 2023, via Anjunadeep and his own Odd One Out imprint.[45] Featuring 13 tracks with collaborations including MØØNE, Sansa, and Lost Boy, the album emphasizes personal development and self-reflection, serving as an auditory journey that inspires emotional expansion and resilience.[44][47] Collectively, Yotto's studio albums have achieved significant streaming success, with Hyperfall surpassing 50 million streams as of 2025 and Growth exceeding 5 million within its first two weeks.[80][80]Extended plays
Yotto began releasing extended plays in the mid-2010s, primarily through Anjunadeep, where these shorter-form releases served as platforms for experimenting with melodic house and progressive elements, often featuring atmospheric builds and introspective soundscapes.[81] His debut EP, Memento / Azzurro, was issued on Anjunadeep on May 25, 2015, comprising two tracks: "Memento" and "Azzurro." These pieces highlighted early signatures of Yotto's style, with "Memento" delivering murky, bass-driven atmospheres and "Azzurro" incorporating chilling piano lines over deep rhythms.[82] Later that year, the Wondering EP followed on Anjunadeep, released August 28, 2015, with three original mixes: "Wondering" (featuring CAPS), "Slowly," and "Coming Back to You." The title track emphasized vocal-driven emotional builds, while the instrumentals explored subtle, evolving textures typical of exploratory deep house.[83] In 2016, Yotto ventured into Cooper's Cup on Anjunadeep (September 19, 2016), a two-track EP blending progressive house grooves: "Cooper's Cup" and "Walls." This release marked a shift toward more rhythmic, club-oriented explorations while retaining atmospheric depth.[84] The North EP, released October 6, 2017, on Anjunadeep, expanded to five tracks—"Ghost Signal," "Off the Grid," "North," "Isolation," and "Edge of Affection"—drawing inspiration from rural Finnish landscapes to create immersive, narrative-driven soundscapes with layered synths and poignant builds.[85] Subsequent EPs included Radiate EP (Anjunadeep, March 19, 2018), featuring "Radiate," "Kantsu," and "Aura," which delved into brighter, more radiant melodic progressions.[86] In 2021, New Era EP (Odd One Out, December 27, 2021), a collaboration with Stephan Jolk, offered two tracks—"New Era" and "Horizon"—fusing melodic techno with expansive, horizon-gazing builds.[87] Yotto's most recent EP, ANTI 01 on his Odd One Out label (October 23, 2025), includes "Call Me Back" and "Flash Pattern," showcasing polished, late-night melodic house with deep basslines and intricate synth layers as part of his ongoing experimental series.[61] These EPs collectively underscore Yotto's evolution, using the format to test thematic atmospheres like isolation and euphoria without the broader scope of full albums.Singles
Yotto has released more than 25 standalone singles since his debut, often as melodic house and techno tracks that showcase his atmospheric production and collaborations with prominent artists in the electronic scene.[88] These releases span multiple eras, with early works from 2016 to 2019 establishing his sound on labels like Anjunadeep and This Never Happened, while the 2020-2025 period reflects his evolution through his own Odd One Out imprint and other imprints.[88] Notable examples from these periods include key singles that gained traction in DJ sets and streaming platforms.2016-2019 Era
- The Owls (2016, Anjunadeep): A Twin Peaks-inspired track marking Yotto's breakthrough on the label, featuring brooding synths and a driving rhythm.[89]
- I / Y (with Lane 8, 2019, This Never Happened): A collaborative effort blending emotive melodies with deep house elements, released as a pivotal single in both artists' catalogs.[90]
2020-2025 Era
This period saw an expansion in releases, including several in 2025 amid Yotto's label activities and tours.| Title | Year | Label | Notes/Collaborators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Love Parade | 2025 | Afterlife | With Cassian and Da Hool, emphasizing euphoric builds.[91] |
| Somebody to Love | 2025 | Odd One Out | With Eli & Fur, fusing vocal hooks and progressive layers.[88] |
| Love Shop | 2025 | Anjunadeep | With Something Good, return to the label with introspective, groove-oriented sound.[92] |
| Seventeen | 2025 | Armada Music | With Joris Voorn and White Lies, atmospheric single highlighting Yotto's melodic signature.[93] |