Nordic Roots, Vol. 3

Amazon.com
This is the third album in NorthSide's compilation series that's perennially billed as "cheaper than food." At three dollars, it's hard to argue. This Minneapolis-based label is known for its eclectic mixture of Nordic roots music, with artists espousing both conventional and modern interpretations of their homeland sounds, be they from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Samiland. Fiddles, acoustic guitars, accordion, and percussion abound here, but unorthodox instruments such as synthesizers, electric guitar, and didjeridoo occasionally surface. From the shamanistic techno stylings of Wimme to the entrancing, poppy vocal harmonies of Värttinä to the lively strings of the Nyckelharpa Orchestra to the electronica-meets-early-music vibe of Garmarna's latest, it is hard to deny the passion and artistry of these groups. Some tracks are more outstanding than others, and the appreciation of each lies purely with an individual listener's taste. Some of the artists represented herein are far more diverse than their singular entries would suggest, but this disc offers a good starting point for new listeners. There album also includes four exclusive live tracks as a bonus. Hey, for three dollars, are you really gonna complain? --Bryan Reesman

Tracks:

Suvetar, Goddess Of Spring - Gjallarhorn
Ahma - Maria Kalaniemi
Bamboo Honey - Wimme
Polska/Sold Or Sale (Live) - Vasen
The Lever - Harv
The Full Rigged Ship/The New Rigged Ship - Aly Bain
Polska After Johan Erik Taklax - Maria Kalaniemi
Bulldog (Live) - Hedningarna
Laiksa - Varttina
Seagull (Live) - Swap
High Mountains, Low Valleys (Live) - Ranarim
The Big Polska - Nyckelharpa Orchestra
Riverside Aby - Karen Tweed
Greenest Branch - Garmarna
Malort - Hoven Droven

Amazon.com

This is the third album in NorthSide's compilation series that's perennially billed as "cheaper than food." At three dollars, it's hard to argue. This Minneapolis-based label is known for its eclectic mixture of Nordic roots music, with artists espousing both conventional and modern interpretations of their homeland sounds, be they from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, or Samiland. Fiddles, acoustic guitars, accordion, and percussion abound here, but unorthodox instruments such as synthesizers, electric guitar, and didjeridoo occasionally surface. From the shamanistic techno stylings of Wimme to the entrancing, poppy vocal harmonies of Värttinä to the lively strings of the Nyckelharpa Orchestra to the electronica-meets-early-music vibe of Garmarna's latest, it is hard to deny the passion and artistry of these groups. Some tracks are more outstanding than others, and the appreciation of each lies purely with an individual listener's taste. Some of the artists represented herein are far more diverse than their singular entries would suggest, but this disc offers a good starting point for new listeners. There album also includes four exclusive live tracks as a bonus. Hey, for three dollars, are you really gonna complain? --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews:

Scandinavian "old time" music, brought into the 21st century........2005-12-15

This is excellent music from a surprising direction: Scandinavia. Who would have thought that Scandinavians, those cool, collected, post-modern Northerners, would produce such vibrant and exciting sounds? Fans of "the Blues", Bluegrass, and Celtic music will enjoy this Nordic "root" music, which comes from the same cultural impetus, the desire to connect with a simpler and more satisfying past. This nostalgic search is of course impossible of success - "you can't step into the same river twice", as Hericleitus says - but it produces great music.

The mix of the traditional with the modern varies from group to group, but all are very talented musicians, all are worth listening to. My favorites are Vartinna, Gjallerhorn, Vasen, Ranarim, Hoven Droven, Hedningarna, and Sorten Muld (sorry, no diacritical marks available on this processor).

The sound engineering is superb, as would be expected from Scandinavian sound engineers.

The price is the frosting on the cake. They are practically giving these away, with the expectation that once you have sampled this genre you will be hooked and buy more. They're right.

Explore the Exotic intoxicating vibrant diverse sounds!.......2004-03-30

I have all three of the Nordic Roots, so far, this is by far the best one. The music is enticing and exciting, with various rythms and mixes of music that comes out smoothly and very interestingly. There is a jazz feel in some songs, a native sound that resonates of old Viking roots, and the combination is refreshing. It's great when the albums keep getting better as this series of Roots has! It has been a great exploration of my own nordic roots, talent, originality, ingenuity all describe this one! Thanks to the talented artists!

A scrumptuous smorgasbord.......2003-08-09

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I bought this CD, but I figured that at this price, what the heck. Now I'm hooked. This is one of the only music samplers I've ever bought where there's not a single song on the disc I don't like. Some of them are a little stranger than others (Wimme's "Bamboo Honey" comes to mind -- Wimme's a Sami musician), but none of them are forbiddingly weird. I particularly enjoyed the beautiful ballad "High Mountains, Low Valleys" performed by Ranarim, a Swedish group well-known for its settings of old Swedish folk poetry. Gjallarhorn's "Suvetar, Goddess of Spring" is also spectacular and enticingly different, as well as the vocal music of the Finnish group Värttinä and just plain fun pieces for nyckelharpa or fiddle like "The Full Rigged Ship" and "The New Rigged Ship."

None of the performers here are strictly traditional. Instead, all of them blend elements of the old with the new, producing what one critic has called a "melding of the transcendent with the subterranean."

This is a great introduction to a neglected area of world folk music. And hey, at this price, you can't go wrong. 5 stars.

More intriguing Scandinavian music from NorthSide.......2003-05-25

Combining traditional tunes and instruments from Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Sami people with modern electronics and sensibilities, this is Nordic neo-folk music promoted with grace, zeal and consummate professionalism. Overall, "Nordic Roots 3" is the mellowest of the three "Nordic Roots" samplers, with more gentle, reflective numbers than the others releases, but still a few lively ones as well. Many of the artists featured on "Nordic Roots" 1 and 2 return, as well as some new faces, such as Gjallarhorn, Maria Kalaniemi and Aldargaz, Harv, Ranarim and the Nyckelharpa Orchestra. If you like the "Nordic Roots" series, check out the many releases of NorthSide's individual artists, as well as World Music Network's survey album, "Rough Guide to the Music of Scandinavia".

Shimmering, Sparkling, Glittering Music.......2002-12-27

Nordic Roots 3: another wish come true! The rainbow colors on the cover, a setting sun reflected in a stream is an apt representation of the mysterious and intriguing music within! Sparkling streams, lush, verdant landscapes viewed from a mountain top, and fields of wildflowers are as hypnotic and magnitizing as Nordic music itself!! Headliner musical artists: Hedningarna, Swap, Gamarana, Vasen, Varttina, Ranarim, Wimme, and Maria Kalaniemi, just to name a few, play their best and most shining examples of Nordic style music. The nyckelharpa, keyed violin, hardanger fiddle, violas, percussion, flutes, guitar, and even a didgeridoo add more mysterious sounds to the already haunting oom-laut accented Swedish and Norwegian female vocalists. Accordion music never sounded so magical and sweet as when played by Maria Kalaniemi. "The Greenist Branch" sung in Latin and accompanied by Swedish instruments played by Gamarna adds a whole new dimension to the meditative Latin words of one of the most famous German female mystics. Ranarim, one of my favorites, provides an extraordinairy rendition of "High Mountains, Low Valleys", which was recorded live. The music on the whole CD, has a Celtic lilt, with some Eastern European mystery, along with the American Appalachian fiddle sound, a cross-over mixture that is indeed indescribable but every bit as
powerful and captivating! The "joik" chanting by Wimme (Finland) has a Native American sound and feel, which is tremendously moving combined with the modern techno sounds. It actually has some Buddhist-like meditative undertones that are intriguing beyond description. Nordic Music is indeed a natural wonder and is worth exploring by anyone who loves traditional and roots music. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

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