I was relatively late to the Garmarna party, only really becoming aware of them at Midgardsblot a few years ago. Since then, I have been intrigued by their unique brand of eclectic folk rock and have enjoyed exploring their 30 year back catalogue, including a Swedish Grammy!
The first thing that that comes to mind is how relatively upbeat this all feels and although it is definitely rooted in folk music it sounds modern with violins, viola, hurdy gurdy, Nordic bowed lyre, kantele, moraharpa, mouth harp, mandolin and Hardanger fiddle comfortably rubbing shoulders with electronics, electric guitar, and bass. The reliable and distinctive anchor to all this is the alluring voice of Emma Härdelin who puts in another stellar performance. It is worth noting that all of the vocals are in Swedish, but that adds to the allure as the Scandinavian language suits this style of music so well. I should also put a disclaimer that my interpretation of song meanings is mostly from my limited knowledge of Norwegian and crossover between the languages, so I apologise if I am wide of the mark!
Things get underway with ‘Ramunder’. Originally a ballad from the 1700s, this has been resurrected as a pulsating masterpiece that manages to sound upbeat while maintaining a sinister undercurrent. Emma’s vocals are beguiling as she delivers the tale of Ramund the Young (not quite as innocent as his name suggests!), complete with Anders Norudde from delivering incisive moraharpa atop the stomping bass line. This is an impressive start to the album!
‘Två Systrar’ tells a tale of betrayal with the impressive Maria Franz (of Heilung) lending vocal support. This ebbs and flows with a traditional folk feel to the music, albeit in a sombre fashion. ‘Dagen Flyr’ feels much more upbeat as irresistible violin melodies joust with mesmerising vocals, all set to a backdrop of hypnotic rhythms.
Perhaps one of the standout tracks on the album is the moody ‘Sven i Rosengård’, telling the tale of Sven who has murdered his brother and then goes on the run despite his mother’s protestations. There is almost a Celtic feel as the tale unfolds with a frenetic air to the vocals giving tension as the track builds. The intensity drops a little for ballad ‘Ur världen att gå’, but this really showcases the depth of the vocals which sound powerful and vulnerable at the same time.
There is another change in atmosphere for ‘Vägskäl’ which is a much slower pace, having an almost ethereal quality to it as it explores grief and bereavement. This comes across as a very personal track and I’m sure it will end up meaning a lot of different things to different people. There are more guest vocals on ‘Lussi Lilla’ courtesy of Ulf Gruvberg of Folk act Rackare who originally recorded the track in the 70s. After its initial intro it seems to relax with the feel of a more traditional Nordic folk track. This contrasts with the enthralling, sombre ‘Avskedet’ where Emma’s vocals are really given a platform and do not disappoint. It demands your full attention and leaves you transfixed before the short closing track ‘Din Grav’, which acts as more of an outro than a stand alone track.
This is an outstanding album, eclectic with brooding intensity, passion and no shortage of talent! If you fancy a change from the usual Ave Noctum fare, or are intrigued about Nordic Folk, I urge you to give this a listen.
(9/10 Andy Pountney)
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