On a clear pathway

Four men and four harmonicas, that’s Sväng in all its glory. The quartet has already made itself a name on the world music scene, and for good reason. Few groups have really created a sound that is this personal and recognisable.

Combining influences like Finnish tango, Balkan music and Finnish pelimanni music isn’t easy, but they get it all to sound like just Sväng music. On their fourth studio record, I feel more pelimanni music presence than in a long time. Polska for Niilo goes in quite traditional style, except for the small taste of heavy metal distortion. Pelimanni melodies can be heard at their most beautiful in Wedding March for Eero and Neda – before it all turns into a Balkan feast! Impivaara is a fascinating collage of Finnish forest moods, almost postmodern with different kinds of sampling (for example Sibelius). Karja-La provides some Karelian fireworks, an energetic interpretation of quite simple material.

Musicianship is on the highest level here, and the Sväng guys also prove to be excellent composers, very talented with shaping even long tunes in an organic way, lacking any sign of dullness.