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folk

Savonlinna’s underground resurfaces
Reviews

Savonlinna’s underground resurfaces

Savonlinna’s underground resurfaces

A lo-fi cult project blending sound collages, folk, ambient and indie rock re-emerges with sleeker production – and its melodic mystique intact.

Wif Stenger

November 24, 2023

Embraced by vocals and stringed instruments
Reviews

Embraced by vocals and stringed instruments

Embraced by vocals and stringed instruments

"The ten tracks on the disc form an attractive whole showcasing the ancient connection between humans, music and nature and, on the other hand, modern cosmopolitanism."

Amanda Kauranne

February 10, 2022

Raucous dancing and melancholy tones
Reviews

Raucous dancing and melancholy tones

Raucous dancing and melancholy tones

"There are raucous dances with shifting metres, but there are also melancholic melodic arcs and soft moods."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

February 10, 2022

Classics seen with new eyes
Reviews

Classics seen with new eyes

Classics seen with new eyes

"Polenta’s innovative arrangements highlight the natural rhythms and lovely melodies of these traditional pieces, and their sound world extends to a grand cinematic feel, complete with angelic harmonies."

Amanda Kauranne

February 10, 2022

A spoonful of metal makes the folk tunes take wing
Reviews

A spoonful of metal makes the folk tunes take wing

A spoonful of metal makes the folk tunes take wing

"This music is clearly made for dancing – but in what way? That is for the listener to decide: one can dance Finnish and Karelian folk dances with their familiar steps to this music or listen to the metal sounds and make a mosh pit out of it."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

February 10, 2022

Rap aesthetics with soil under the fingernails
Reviews

Rap aesthetics with soil under the fingernails

Rap aesthetics with soil under the fingernails

"I enjoy the world haapoja & illmari kollektiivi create, where a folk music mood coexists with rap aesthetics and a soundscape vibe. Folk music is in the air, and the sound is so earthy you can practically hear the soil under the fingernails."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

February 10, 2022

Virtuoso weirdness facing a sacred experience
Reviews

Virtuoso weirdness facing a sacred experience

Virtuoso weirdness facing a sacred experience

"The album makes the point that the need of the human animal to experience the sacred is tied up with the history of sexuality, gender and power."

Amanda Kauranne

February 10, 2022

A national symbol and music without borders – can folk music be both?
Features

A national symbol and music without borders – can folk music be both?

A national symbol and music without borders – can folk music be both?

The phenomena grouped under the soubriquet of Finnish folk music include transnational cultural phenomena on the one hand and strong regional traditions on the other, and not nearly all of these are defined by where Finland’s political borders happened to be at any particular time.

Tove Djupsjöbacka

March 29, 2021

On my music and beyond: Hypnotic and captivating, not dusty antiquities
Columns

On my music and beyond: Hypnotic and captivating, not dusty antiquities

On my music and beyond: Hypnotic and captivating, not dusty antiquities

“Although I have delved deep into archives and particularly into the traditional music of the Suistamo area through my research, the fact is that modern folk music finds its inspiration absolutely anywhere, not just in dusty antiquities,” writes Anne-Mari Kivimäki, a composer and the developer of the modern Karelian accordion trance style, who is also known as a member of the band Suistamon Sähkö.

Anne-Mari Kivimäki

March 5, 2021

Ville Ojanen goes intimate with a luxury lineup
Reviews

Ville Ojanen goes intimate with a luxury lineup

Ville Ojanen goes intimate with a luxury lineup

"The tunes are close to traditional danceable folk music (from different regions) but always with personal twists and turns."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

February 5, 2021

Tradition is an inexhaustible source of joy
Reviews

Tradition is an inexhaustible source of joy

Tradition is an inexhaustible source of joy

"Sväng have now returned to their roots in a refreshing and energetic rediscovery of tradition – an inexhaustible source of joy."

Amanda Kauranne

February 5, 2021

Rich re-interpretation of early music
Reviews

Rich re-interpretation of early music

Rich re-interpretation of early music

"Ensemble Gamut!'s repertoire ranges from daringly and freshly arranged folk songs to Medieval and Renaissance compositions. Improvisation and electronics are also included."

Riikka Hiltunen

February 5, 2021

Frigg sounding brilliantly like Frigg
Reviews

Frigg sounding brilliantly like Frigg

Frigg sounding brilliantly like Frigg

"Twenty years, ten albums, tours around the world, awards and nominations at home and rave reviews abroad: Frigg can justly be described as one of the greatest success stories in Finnish folk music."

Riikka Hiltunen

February 5, 2021

Daily life and versatile musical dialogues
Reviews

Daily life and versatile musical dialogues

Daily life and versatile musical dialogues

"The debut album of kantele player and singer-songwriter Marjo Smolander is an interesting combination of different musical collaborations."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

February 5, 2021

Archaic-modern invitation to dance
Reviews

Archaic-modern invitation to dance

Archaic-modern invitation to dance

"This trio has once again produced a visionary album with a great deal of variety. The swing is often infectious – one longs to dance at a live gig performed by this band! "

Riikka Hiltunen

February 5, 2021

This tradition goes to eleven!
Reviews

This tradition goes to eleven!

This tradition goes to eleven!

"This is a stunning début that serves as textbook study in how to keep one’s own tradition alive in today’s urban and multicultural world."

Amanda Kauranne

February 5, 2021

Taking the lament tradition into here and now
Reviews

Taking the lament tradition into here and now

Taking the lament tradition into here and now

"Also the real thing is included, with Kuittinen sometimes letting her voice go all rough and raw, affected by grief. Her voice does not always sound beautiful, but that surely feels like a welcome experience when surrounded by the slick music production sound of the 2020s."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

February 5, 2021

Folk song with soul
Reviews

Folk song with soul

Folk song with soul

"The group dextrously takes up some of the most worn classics of Finnish folk music [- -] and brings up a completely new and compelling aspect. Otra’s arrangements are surprising, fresh and adventurous."

Amanda Kauranne

February 5, 2021

Distinctive dreamscapes
Reviews

Distinctive dreamscapes

Distinctive dreamscapes

“Ánnámáret is part of a powerful new force in Sámi music and identity.”

Simon Broughton

February 5, 2021

Pauanne: archive recordings meet the 21st century
Features

Pauanne: archive recordings meet the 21st century

Pauanne: archive recordings meet the 21st century

Pauanne is both the name of an innovative Finnish folk trio and the old Finnish thunder god. And like a blast of thunder their music is shaking up the way we look and hear the past, present and future.

Simon Broughton

October 16, 2020

The gift of runo singing
Reviews

The gift of runo singing

The gift of runo singing

"The two discs complement each other, and listening to the double album you notice once again how beautiful and interesting the human voice is – in its simplicity and richness."

Amanda Kauranne

August 13, 2020

Eclectic yet original
Reviews

Eclectic yet original

Eclectic yet original

"I immediately allow myself to throw all thoughts of genre out of the window and just enjoy the music. The communication between the musicians is the key here."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

August 13, 2020

A journey in the fascinating world of sounds
Reviews

A journey in the fascinating world of sounds

A journey in the fascinating world of sounds

"The listening experience is refreshing and reminds me of a rainforest landscape, with a lot of small exciting sounds joining in from here and there, rather than presenting catchy tunes."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

August 13, 2020

A unique voice and brilliant jouhikko playing
Reviews

A unique voice and brilliant jouhikko playing

A unique voice and brilliant jouhikko playing

"With everything else removed, the most distinguishable elements of his music remain: his unique voice and brilliant jouhikko playing."

Riikka Hiltunen

August 13, 2020

Power within
Reviews

Power within

Power within

"The disc probes deep into the soul while simultaneously being so strongly connected to the environment that it is dedicated to the wilderness. The music is full of the power of nature, the aches and pains of finding the wings of one’s soul, and the joy of discovery when one finally finds them."

Amanda Kauranne

August 13, 2020

Soul-jazz-blues with a Bulgarian twist
Reviews

Soul-jazz-blues with a Bulgarian twist

Soul-jazz-blues with a Bulgarian twist

"There are a lot of intriguing musical landscapes, from big epic sounds and suggestive drones to a cappella singing."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

August 13, 2020

A moment of peace
Reviews

A moment of peace

A moment of peace

"Many tunes make me think of traditional wedding musicians: on their way to the ceremony, taking some jazzy turns half-way there, allowing themselves to roam free and aim for the horizon before arriving safely at their destination."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

August 13, 2020

Joy of traditional music
Reviews

Joy of traditional music

Joy of traditional music

"The disc is a good introduction to the gamut of music from Kaustinen, its history and the local humour. Even the playing styles of individual villages are discernible."

Amanda Kauranne

August 13, 2020

Dreamy yet powerful
Reviews

Dreamy yet powerful

Dreamy yet powerful

"Niemi’s calm and unpretentious voice is accompanied for example by kanteles, other stringed instruments and a beautifully sounding piano."

Riikka Hiltunen

August 13, 2020

In a chain of players: Violinist Alina Järvelä
Features

In a chain of players: Violinist Alina Järvelä

In a chain of players: Violinist Alina Järvelä

”During the turning points of my life, music has helped me so that when faced with difficulties, I have been able to direct my thoughts elsewhere through playing. It is not so much about the musical genre or instrument, but about concentrating on the activity”, says violinist and educator Alina Järvelä who specialises in folk and early music.

Amanda Kauranne

June 18, 2020

An inspiring vocal mishmash
Reviews

An inspiring vocal mishmash

An inspiring vocal mishmash

"Voice of Generations is a mishmash, but also an inspiring example of open-minded repertoire planning."

Anna Pulkkis

June 4, 2020

Sarah Palu and the inner self reflected in music
Features

Sarah Palu and the inner self reflected in music

Sarah Palu and the inner self reflected in music

Finnish-French composer-musician Sarah Palu touches a deep chord in the soul with her début album Ikivirta [Everflow]. It is a journey through soundscapes featuring a multitude of musical influences, but always connected by a scarlet thread. Palu plays the kantele and the harp, and what she finds fascinating in music are the connection to her inner self on the one hand and connections between people on the other.

Tove Djupsjöbacka

May 28, 2020

Folk musician Timo Alakotila and the freedom to collaborate
Features

Folk musician Timo Alakotila and the freedom to collaborate

Folk musician Timo Alakotila and the freedom to collaborate

Musician and composer Timo Alakotila has found the perfect balance between working alone and with other musicians.

Riikka Hiltunen

March 26, 2020

Meriheini Luoto – Exploring boundaries
Features

Meriheini Luoto – Exploring boundaries

Meriheini Luoto – Exploring boundaries

Folklore narratives, binaural recording techniques, free improvisation and electronics are some of violinist Meriheini Luoto’s tools.

Amanda Kauranne

November 29, 2019

“If our memory fails us, we exist no more…”
Features

“If our memory fails us, we exist no more…”

“If our memory fails us, we exist no more…”

Music has long been important in increasing international awareness about the Sámi. Their yoik singing has come to represent an often forgotten people on the edge of Europe. Singer and songwriter Hildá Länsman represents the youngest generation forging an identity between tradition and modernity.

Simon Broughton

April 26, 2019

Modern lament disc on timeless topics
Reviews

Modern lament disc on timeless topics

Modern lament disc on timeless topics

"Improvisations and more dynamic pieces build up into a disc that is heartache-inducing and challenging"

Amanda Kauranne

January 10, 2019

Four unique individuals with one unique sound
Features

Four unique individuals with one unique sound

Four unique individuals with one unique sound

This band is in a class of its own: an ensemble of four harmonicas that creates its own material, drawing on Finnish folk music, Balkan rhythms and tango. Founded in 2003, Sväng put their inimitable stamp on everything they perform, demonstrating that Chopin and Sibelius too had a folk music streak in them!

Tove Djupsjöbacka

January 10, 2019

An exotic menu with a political taste
Reviews

An exotic menu with a political taste

An exotic menu with a political taste

"​Though they have only been around for three years, the quartet Suistamon Sähkö have grown into quite a phenomenon."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

January 10, 2019

Beliefs from the beyond
Reviews

Beliefs from the beyond

Beliefs from the beyond

"Spells, cattle calls, mocking sermons and herdsmen’s tunes from early 20th-century Finland are used inventively and attractively in the band’s arrangements and compositions"

Riikka Hiltunen

January 10, 2019

Singing flamenco as yourself
Reviews

Singing flamenco as yourself

Singing flamenco as yourself

"Anna Murtola is the first among Finnish flamenco singers to bravely go ahead and release her own record."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

January 10, 2019

Mesmerizing sounds and voices
Reviews

Mesmerizing sounds and voices

Mesmerizing sounds and voices

"Sans have captured a rare beauty in delving into the diverse musical backgrounds and skills of the band members"

Riikka Hiltunen

January 10, 2019

Folk music, feminism and troubling topics
Features

Folk music, feminism and troubling topics

Folk music, feminism and troubling topics

Folk music through a feminist perspective has been a thing in Sweden for several years, but Finland’s first series of feminist folk music concerts is only now taking place. Singer and journalist Amanda Kauranne and her team explore difficult topics and taboos of womanhood in four concerts.

Tove Djupsjöbacka

September 21, 2018

A crash-course in Finnish tango
Reviews

A crash-course in Finnish tango

A crash-course in Finnish tango

"The material is well chosen to represent the different characteristics of the Finnish tango, and of course Sväng builds on the story with their own compositions".

Tove Djupsjöbacka

August 23, 2018

Light and deep folk
Reviews

Light and deep folk

Light and deep folk

"An unashamedly wonderful album: light and deep at the same time."

Amanda Kauranne

August 23, 2018

Tradition is the superpower
Reviews

Tradition is the superpower

Tradition is the superpower

"The four women of Enkel tell us tradition is their superpower, their take on this genre is a very welcome one."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

August 23, 2018

A joyous take on the entire history of folk music
Reviews

A joyous take on the entire history of folk music

A joyous take on the entire history of folk music

"If I had to choose one recording to preserve for the future or to send off to space in order to illustrate humankind’s history and humaneness, this album would get my vote."

Amanda Kauranne

August 23, 2018

A seamless ensemble sound
Reviews

A seamless ensemble sound

A seamless ensemble sound

"A twelve-track album with twelve highlights – not a bad score!​"

Riikka Hiltunen

August 23, 2018

Stylish and promising Sámi music fusion
Reviews

Stylish and promising Sámi music fusion

Stylish and promising Sámi music fusion

"The duo’s fresh debut album is sung exclusively in their native Sámi language, and the yoik flows in the heart of the music."

Riikka Hiltunen

August 23, 2018

Kardemimmit – a folk-pop quartet pushing 20
Features

Kardemimmit – a folk-pop quartet pushing 20

Kardemimmit – a folk-pop quartet pushing 20

A group of four women who each both sing and play the kantele and who write songs in a consistent and original style, Kardemimmit have their roots in the folk tradition but are not afraid to season their menu with whatever spices take their fancy. Few ensembles can boast having made music together from childhood through to turning professional. In recent years, Kardemimmit have been in demand from the USA to Japan.

Tove Djupsjöbacka

June 14, 2018

Accordion with a twist
Reviews

Accordion with a twist

Accordion with a twist

"Johanna Juhola is a confident accordion star who has created her own unique style. Despite shining the limelight on the accordion, her music portrays a strong vision beyond just one instrument."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

January 31, 2018

Sensitivity and sense of intimacy
Reviews

Sensitivity and sense of intimacy

Sensitivity and sense of intimacy

"Originally classically trained, J-P Piirainen takes his influences not just from Finnish folk, but from American fingerpicking styles too and flamenco. It’s an album for guitar lovers as well as folk fans."

Fiona Talkington

January 31, 2018

Intimate solo debut
Reviews

Intimate solo debut

Intimate solo debut

"Päivi Hirvonen approaches music with focus and attitude, but then lets it speak for itself. Her music-making is quite intimate but at times incorporates a lot of different layers, expanding herself into an orchestra or a choir."

Tove Djupsjöbacka

January 31, 2018

An impressive one-woman-show
Reviews

An impressive one-woman-show

An impressive one-woman-show

"Maija Kauhanen's debut album could well be a future classic in Finnish folk music."

Riikka Hiltunen

September 21, 2017

The empress strikes back
Reviews

The empress strikes back

The empress strikes back

The accordion queen Maria Kalaniemi has been around for 30 years but still continues to impress, now by singing as well.

Tove Djupsjöbacka

September 21, 2017

Innovative noise box
Features

Innovative noise box

Innovative noise box

Pull or push? Diatonal or microtonal? Traditional bear hunting celebration or reflections of the cosmos? Antti Paalanen and Veli Kujala prove that the accordion can do it all.

Amanda Kauranne

August 24, 2017

Bigger, better, folkier
Features

Bigger, better, folkier

Bigger, better, folkier

What happens if you put forty folk musicians and their instruments in one room once a month for a couple of years? The Sibelius Academy Folk Big Band is leading the way for Finnish folk instrument orchestras.

Amanda Kauranne

January 8, 1985

Finnish Music Quarterly
c/o Music Finland
Keilasatama 2 A
FI-02150 Espoo
Finland
ISSN 0782-1069
editor@fmq.fi
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