As 2025 comes to a close, we’re looking back with a big grin and a lot of gratitude. Mustik Motel Music exists because we love this music and it keeps moving forward because you listen, share, come to gigs, buy records, and tell a friend “Hey, you need to hear this!”.

This year we had the joy of releasing three full-length albums:

• Lauri Kallio – Turtles, Cats and Other Creatures
• Eero Savela – Way To
• Kadi Vija – Tiny Hands Gathering Wonder, The World Becomes Magic

Each of these releases has its own world inside it. Different moods, different textures, different ways of telling the truth through sound. We feel genuinely lucky to help bring them into the world.

And 2025 didn’t just bring new music. It brought some seriously encouraging nods along the way. Kadi Vija’s album received an Emma nomination, and both Kadi’s and Eero’s albums earned IndieCo nominations. On top of that, we’ve been thrilled to see our releases mentioned across multiple year-end best-of lists.

• Tina Edwards top 20 jazz and jazz-ish records of 2025
• Matti Nives | HHV Mag Artist & Partner Vinyl Charts of 2025 | Charts | HHV
• DJ Jukola 2025 selects: Finland
• desibeli.net – Lauri Kallio: Turtles, Cats and Other Creatures
• Aisteja, älyä ja mielikuvitusta – arviossa Eero Savelan Way To -albumi – Kulttuuritoimitus
• Eero Savela: Way To (Mustik Motel, 2025) – Valon kuvia
• Eero Savela ‘Way To’ LP (Mustik Motel) 3/5 – ukvibe – astral travelling since 1993
• Lauri Kallio ‘Turtles, Cats and Other Creatures’ LP (Mustik Motel) 4/5 – ukvibe – astral travelling since 1993
• Vinyyliviisikko: Mikko Pettinen Why Not, Eero Savela, The Five Corners Quintet, Eero Koivistoinen, Openness Trio – Jazzpossu
• OCTA New Music Weekly – Episode #323 – One Chord To Another – A Finnish Pop Site
• OCTA New Music Weekly – Episode #338 – One Chord To Another – A Finnish Pop Site
• Favorite Finnish Albums of 2025 – One Chord To Another – A Finnish Pop Site
• Record Store X employees have favourited: Lauri Kallio, Eero Savela

Awards and lists aren’t the whole point, but they are a meaningful signal that this music is landing, resonating, and travelling farther than we could ever push it alone.

So: Thank You.

Thank you to the artists for your vision, your work, your patience, and your courage to put something real out into the world.
Thank you to everyone behind the scenes: recording, mixing, mastering, artwork, pressing, friend labels, distribution, record stores, promo, radio, writers, DJs, venues, photographers, and all the fellow doers who help the wheels turn.

Special thank you to all our listeners: you’re the reason this label gets to exist at all.

We already have new projects in motion for 2026, and we can’t wait to share what’s next: new sounds, new stories, new memories.

Until then: take care, keep listening, and keep your curiosity alive.

Warm jazz love from the cold north,
Antti & Jarno / Mustik Motel Music