March 16th, 2007
Scandinavia calling: Adjagas and Hannu
If last year’s multiple best album lists (here’s the Sigla offering) are anything to go by, there is no shortage of decent music coming out of Scandinavia at the moment. Take Swedish bands I’m From Barcelona, electronic duo The Knife (an album I eventually warmed to), the shoe-gazey orchestrations of Jeniferever, the Joni Mitchell folk of Frida Hyvonen - whose Until Death Comes on Secretly Canadian is one of the most original female voices I’ve heard in a long time - or Peter, Bjorn and John who became one of the most ubiquitous airplay bands of 2006 thanks to a Budweiser ad including their whistle-along single ‘Young Folks’. Flying the Finnish flag there’s Husky Rescue who released their very fine second album, Ghost is Not Real, at the end of January.
You’ve probably heard of most of the above, but two other recent releases are also worth mentioning here. First up Adjagas, aka Norwegian duo Lawrs Somby and Sara Mariella Gaup who draw on their Sami roots, incorporating joik vocals (a method of expressing things in music and sound rather than words) and a folk-edged brand of world music. Their self-titled album released on Ever Records in February picked up a five-star review in The Ticket from Brian Boyd who said: “Picture a parallel universe where Planxty join forces with Sigur Rós and you’re somewhere near to understanding the brilliantly bewildering appeal of Adjagas” and called the album an “understated masterpiece”. The Lapland pair are also the opening act on the main stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
Also highly recommended is Worms in My Piano by Hannu, a Finnish musician who also moonlights as a filmmaker (listen out for the Bernard Hermann influence). It’s an album of place, conjuring up snowdrift landscapes and sonic stories dictated by the weather. Its creator lists Arvo Pärt, Brian Eno, Finnish tango, Current 93, Can, Tim Buckley, John Coltrane, Harold Budd, Incredible String Band, Kate Bush, Boards of Canada, My Bloody Valentine, Steve Reich and film directors Andrey Tarkovsky and Krzysztof Kieslowski among his many influences. Full of references to nature presented via spare electronics and twinkling xylophones, this could be an instrumental score for nature. It’s out now on Dublin label Osaka, home of of Hulk and the lovely Eglantine Gouzy.
Links:
Hannu on myspace
Irish Times review of Worms in My Piano
Adjagas on myspace
Video for Adjagas’ ‘Mun Ja Mun’ on youtube
March 16th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I knew you’d come around to the delights of the Knife… how could you not?
Not sure if Hannu is for me though. It’s like soundtrack music (which can be good, but in that it doesn’t hold my attention) I’m due to give it another listen however..
March 16th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
I know, I know, The Knife was very slow burn for me.
Oh, now I get to stick that right backatcha with Hannu - give it more listens, honest. I’m a soundtrack kinda gal though, so that might have some bearing on why I like it so much.
Have you heard the Adjagas album?
March 16th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I agree with you about the Knife, it took me two albums and breaking up with my Swedish ex to finally come around to them. I also recommend Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, a sort of Mogwai-Divine Comedy cross;Le Sport; folkie Christian Kjellvander and Anna Ternheim, who offers up a polished Amie Mann-type pop. On the Finnish side there is Mi and L’au, whose debut album is a gem. MInd yourself though when you refer to the Finns as Scandinavians, they don’t really like it…
March 16th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
And I forgot The Radio Dept, whose first album at least is a great throwback to the shoegazing of the early 90s.
March 16th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Oo yes, really like the Mi and L’au stuff. Also should have mentioned Swede Rickard Javerling, after coming across his stuff on a great label called Baked Goods. Have a listen over on his myspace page.
Come to think of it, I vaguely remember something about the Finn/Scandinavian thing, so I hope I haven’t offended anyone. Blame it on my inner sub-editor who reckoned that this post title was snappier than “Norway, Sweden and Finland calling: Adjagas and Hannu”.
March 16th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
On the Knife, I’m exactly the opposite. Loved them at first, now I’m kind of thinking they’re a bit… shite.
I’m currently putting together an iTunes playlist for a friend who loves Joni Mitchell, so I’m currently listening to some Frida Hyvönen to add to it! Ta, la!
March 20th, 2007 at 11:46 am
best call them the Nordic countries - that seems to keep everyone happy
and while you are up there, check out Islaja, amazing Finnish singer/instrumentalist who has released a couple of great albums on Fonal. Read somewhere that she has now signed to Thurston Moore’s Esctatic Peace label. Beautiful stuff.
March 20th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Listened to the Hannu album tonight. It’s lovely.
Luscious..
I haven’t heard the Adjagas album yet ..
March 21st, 2007 at 11:19 am
While we’re at it, did anyone catch Stockholm’s Lo-Fi-Fnk live in Dublin during February? Would have loved to have seen them but couldn’t make it. Debut album ‘Boylife’ on Moshi Moshi was quite strong with some outstanding tracks. Plenty of electro-pop promise there.
Also I’m really looking forward to the new album from Dungen which is due for release in May. Their 2004 release ‘Ta Det Lungt’ was one of my favourites of that year. (Preview mp3 here.