WOMAD

Värttinä

From Finland

The emergence of Varttina in the early/mid-80s applied electric-shock paddles to Finnish folk music’s barely twitching body. At a time when their compatriots were most recognised for their rally-driving prowess, a bunch of youngsters investigating the songs of their grandparents was akin to a revolutionary act. But they weren’t content with merely offering faithful replications of a long-lost sound. Instead, they filled these dark tales with saxophones and electric guitars, choosing to set up shop in the unoccupied territory between folk, pop and rock. Varttina’s calling card has always been their three-strong all-female vocal attack and they’ve never sounded as seductive, mature or fiery as they do on their most recent album, Miero (released on our good friends Real World’s label). Varttina’s sound is one that twists and turns, simultaneously unnerving and reassuring, constantly surprising. But there’s no surprise that the band has just supplied music for the stage show of The Lord Of The Rings – for the last 20 years or so, their music has haunted us all, a dramatic soundtrack which, despite its echoes of familiarity, still feels like it’s from another world.In A Few Words… Supercharged Finnish folk. And beyond…