Folk It!

fri 7 apr 2023 21:00 hour

Nordic Sounds

In this episode of Nordic Sounds, we focus on contemporary folk music from the Baltic country of Estonia. We begin with a unique duo consisting of Ann-Lisett Rebane and Katariina Kivi, who both play the kannel, the Estonian variant of the kantele or zither, but they use only one instrument. Positioned on opposite sides of the 42-string concert kannel, they pluck, bow, strike, and dampen the strings while singing with angelic vocals. The music is lyrical but also powerful. The same can be said of the trio Etnosfäär, who combine drums, keyboards, and electronics with authentic traditional instruments, including, of course, the kannel and bagpipes. In their long, dynamically constructed pieces, traditional songs and melodies are given a modern, contemporary treatment, resulting in Etnosfäär’s Folktronic sound. Riffarrica is not to be outdone in terms of volume and intensity. The duo of Kulno Malva on bagpipes and accordion and drummer/singer Kristjan Priks pull out all the stops, incorporating ancient folk tales into their original compositions. The rough approach does not mask the qualities of these musicians of Folkriffrock.

Notably, all albums featured in this episode were independently released.

For a review of the albums, visit www.newfolksounds.nl.