Suistamon Sähkö

The list of nominees suggests that the best ethno albums derive their energy from a collision of musical nuclei. Archive meets EDM, smooth meets rough, Karelia meets the Balkans.

“Although I have delved deep into archives and particularly into the traditional music of the Suistamo area through my research, the fact is that modern folk music finds its inspiration absolutely anywhere, not just in dusty antiquities,” writes Anne-Mari Kivimäki, a composer and the developer of the modern Karelian accordion trance style, who is also known as a member of the band Suistamon Sähkö.

"Perhaps the most relevant legacy of the Kalevala is in its rich and varied use of language, its grand narratives and how those narratives translate to the modern era." Ethnomusicologist Lari Aaltonen discusses the Kalevala today.

“The music of Arctic Fire concert at the WOMEX 2019 was brave and contemporary, yet all of them drew in some way on archaic traditions in Finnish music.”

The accordion belongs to a huge worldwide family: the Basque country’s trikitixa, the Malagasy sound of the late Régis Gizavo, the bandoneón music of Astor Piazzolla, iconic French café music or American Cajun music – the list is endless. But isn’t the accordion also the voice of Finnish tradition? In this world of ever-developing technology, downloading and social media, does the accordion still have a place?

A small country must learn how to adapt, cooperate and innovate. Agility is key. Finland has a high degree of social equality, and in music this means that basically anyone can do anything. Creativity and curiosity are the wellspring of the vitality of contemporary Finnish folk music.

"​Though they have only been around for three years, the quartet Suistamon Sähkö have grown into quite a phenomenon."