“The rougher and more vintage, the better.” That is how Turku-based retro-soul outfit Punomo has summed up the philosophy behind its music. Drawing on the Afro-American soul tradition while singing in Finnish and bringing a distinctly Finnish perspective to the genre, Punomo has carved out a sound of its own. To our knowledge, no other contemporary Finnish band has previously approached soul with quite the same commitment to a vintage aesthetic – at least not beyond occasional individual tracks by several artists during the years.
That alone made Punomo’s self-titled debut album, released in January 2022, a unique milestone in the local rhythm music scene. The journey continued in February 2025 with Kahdeksan kertaa, the band’s second album, exploring the full spectrum of life through its themes and stories.
Punomo has aptly described its sound and lyrics as emerging from an imaginary past of Turku soul music of the 1960s and ’70s. The band’s musical roots, however, reach well beyond Finland, drawing inspiration from the golden age of Detroit and Philadelphia soul, among others. The result is timeless, authentic-sounding Finnish soul with a distinctly retro character – music that critics have praised and audiences have embraced from the outset, both on record and on stage.
Punomo has performed at numerous Finnish festivals, including Elephantasy – Funky Family Picnic in 2022, and will also take the stage at the Funky Elephant Festival in November 2026. The band has also begun to attract attention beyond Finland, particularly across the Nordic music scene.
At the core of Punomo are vocalist Johanna Rauma and drummer Lauri Levanto, who lead the band and are responsible for songwriting, alongside a versatile line-up of accomplished musicians. Among them are trumpeter Ilkka Arola, known for his Ilkka Arola Sound Tagine project, which blends Middle Eastern influences, folk and jazz with rhythm music, and keyboardist Ilmari Aitoaho, a seasoned player whose credits include projects such as Muscular and Tomi Salesvuo East Funk Attack. The line-up is completed by tenor saxophonist Aku Painilainen, guitarist Lauri Laine, bassist Ami Kajan and percussionist Victor Regalado. Together, they bring style, intensity and a richly varied emotional palette to Punomo’s timeless sound – a broad, narrative musical world that, as the band itself has put it, lies at the very heart of what they do.
Text: Joonas Kervinen / Funky Finland
Main photo & 2nd photo (above): Ilkka Arola
