KIWA aka Markku Louhio, is an electronic music producer and musician from Finland. Originally a duo, KIWA also included Matti Elsinen as a member until 2016. Since then Markku has continued the project as a solo artist.
Markku and Matti began their musical careers as producers in the psychedelic trance scene in 1995. The group started to make a name for themselves performing in underground raves and forest parties in the late 1990s. After their first releases on the Helsinki-based label Surreal Audio Recordings in 2000 and 2001, KIWA started to gain followers also internationally.
The music of KIWA has influences among other styles from funk, breaks, house and drum & bass. KIWA's first two albums, Dreamtime Enhancer and Retroactive, represent a style blending mix of psy trance, breaks, electronica and occasional references to drum & bass. Kiwa's third album On the Frequency shows a more progressive approach on dance music.
Since 2009 KIWA has produced music for various musical genres and labels outside the psy trance scene, including glitch hop, breaks and hip hop.
Markku Louhio is also known for his other projects Headphonics, Highpersonic Whomen, Omen Sisters and The Faithealers.