Icelandic-Finnish-American trio Equally Stupid (2008-) combines jazz and rock aesthetics, punk attitude, complex rhythms, and collective improvisation into a cohesive whole. Rögnvaldsson and Lyytinen’s 20 years of honed collaborative playing create a recognisable sound and a solid foundation for bold experimentation, with new American drummer Sam Ospovat bringing his own powerful voice. The trio has released two critically acclaimed albums, Exploding head (2014) and Escape From the Unhappy Society (2017), and a new album, Phantoms Among Us, will be released in summer 2025.
”Sensitivity and power play shine through in an inspiring way. Both Lyytinen and Rögnvaldsson like the rosy and the rosy, but in Equally Stupid’s cross-exposure, the ugly and the beautiful play at the same time. 5*/5*” – Keskisuomalainen
”The compilation of tunes embraced motifs like Hip-Hop groove and Icelandic gangsta rap with Industrial grunge chaos and urban noise. But equally diverse at any time and well balanced and put together or well, torn apart, as if reading the mind of a child. They were exploring the limits of playfulness and ambiguation.” – Jazzkaar reviews
”This is truly rewarding improvisational music (Equally Stupid), with the two leading instruments straining for boundaries of affinitive dissonance in an appealing percussive soundscape.” – All about Jazz
”Lyytinen’s tenorophone, Rögnvaldsson’s electric guitar and Meier’s drums work together in an organic whole in perfect synergy. Rhythmically, the trio reaches a level rarely encountered anywhere else.” – Turun Sanomat
”The album (Exploding Head) is a colourful, fast-paced journey into music, with fast-paced jazz-inspired music at its heart, trying to outdo rock expression. The result is a stunningly handsome, powerfully resonant piece of music.” – Salon seudun sanomat
Equally Stupid – ”Transpiration” (Live in Tallinn)
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