Tripping Through the Past

GARMARNA
Garmarna
(Northside)
HEDNINGARNA
Hedningarna
(Northside)
For the past few years, Minneapolis label Northside has done a great service by introducing the United States to Nordic folk music. They've reissued tons of great records, with superior sound, cool graphics and great bands that Americans might never have heard otherwise. Scandinavian folk reflects the countries and culture from which it comes, with lots of minor key melodies and grim, occasionally violent subject matter that brings to mind images of the cold, dark land in which it was spawned. To neophytes it sounds like an unsettling cross between Celtic and Middle Eastern sounds, as fiddles weave in and around bagpipes and hurdy-gurdys to create a droning effect, while the percussion keeps a steady but unsettling pulse. Two of the best bands of the genre are Garmarna and Hedningarna. They've both been pioneers in bringing contemporary notions to the music, while maintaining respect for its traditions. Now, after reissuing most of each band's catalog, Northside brings the debut albums by these great bands to American shores.

The members of Garmarna (which translates roughly as "hellhound") were inspired to form a band in 1992 after seeing a performance by Väsen, another veteran Swedish folk group. Originally a trio consisting of Stefan Brisland-Ferner (strings, hurdy-gurdy, Jew's harp), Gotte Ringqvist (luteguitar, violin, Jew's harp) and Rickard Westman (bouzouki, guitars), the band cut a six-song demo of original instrumentals, incorporated here as the second half of the CD. They then added percussionist Jens Höglin and cut their seven-song self-titled EP. The droning, layered tunes practically thicken the air, with the only relief being guest vocalist Emma Härdelin, who later became a permanent member. Try the spectacular "Trånpolska" ("Pining Polska"), which perfectly mates Härdelin's siren song with the group's buzzing melodies. They would go on to be more vocal and rhythm-oriented albums, but here they show signs of turning into a world-class Nordic folk band.

Hedningarna (the Heathens), meanwhile, is quite simply the most innovative band in Sweden. Formed by Anders Norudde (fiddles, harps, flutes, bagpipes), Hållbus Totte Mattsson (lute, Baroque guitar, hurdy-gurdy) and Björn Tollin (percussion, hurdy-gurdy, Moraharpa), the trio determined to bring their ancient musical traditions into the present. They would go on to add distortion, electronics and female Finnish vocalists (a la Värttinä), and Norudde designed and built new instruments to ensure their ability to transform their imaginations to reality. But before all that they settled for being Sweden's premier dance band. With a mixture of traditionals ("Särna Galma Brudmarsch" ["Old Särna Wedding March"], "Björnlåten" ["The Bear Tune"]) and Norudde originals ("Förtvivlans Polska" ["Desperation Polska"], "Skavlåten" ["The Chafing Tune"]), Hedningarna produces a strange and utterly beguiling batch of songs that add arsenic to the pop-friendly waters favored by upscale white Americans and the Billboard world music chart. While it doesn't pack quite the punch of the band's twin masterpieces Kaksi! and Trä, Hedningarna is still quite a heady experience. Michael Toland

For fans of: Väsen, Värttinä, Boot