The Dowser

The Dowser is an instrumental hip-hop producer from the far north — a place where the sun disappears in winter and never sets in summer. He began making beats over 25 years ago after hearing Black On Both Sides by Mos Def, an album that sparked a lifelong dedication to hip-hop’s deeper rhythms and textures. Rooted in the classic traditions of producers like Nujabes, Pete Rock, J Dilla and Madlib, The Dowser’s sound has since evolved beyond genre boundaries. Today, his music is influenced as much by classic jazz and bossa nova as by the jazz compositions found in Twin Peaks soundtracks by Angelo Badalamenti. His work spans jazz hop, bossa beats, and bloom bap, drifting between upbeat, dreamy, and jazzy elements — and often combining them. Photo: Tomi Koistinen