Customer Reviews

Seleniko

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This marked the second commercial hit for this band of Finnish women singers - their first being Oi Dai. The songs here are all in Finnish, which will be meaningless to most listeners. What will grab you is the freshness, the unique and timeless rhythms, and unusual (to our ear) harmonies. With some resemblence to the power and structure of Bulgarian choruses, these 4 young Finnish women use the open throat technique to almost yell their lyrics.

The tunes are mostly traditional, coming from old Ingrian (around St. Petersburg), Karelian (eastern Finland), Mari and Setu (central Russia - along the Volga River) folk tunes. Women used many of these tunes to get through their work day, to complain about abusive or lazy husbands, or lament having to leave their father's farms for strange lands.

Instrumentals here are very powerful, with strong flavors of eastern Finland. Listen carefully, and you will hear the Kantele, a sort of Finnish lap harp. You will hear very few of the familiar 4-4 times on this, or any other Varttina, recording, proving that these Finns march to a different drummer altogether.

This is no ordinary band.. they sport several Sibelius Academy graduates - the Finnish equivalent of Juilliard. The fiddle player has played in several Finnish groups, and also does some mean Celtic fiddling.

Before Värttinä utilised pop hooks in "Kokko", the group was all about finding new arrangements for Finno-Ugric folk music. Utilizing traditional instruments (notably the kantele, a traditional Finnish lap harp/zither), Värttinä draws inspiration in Finno-Ugric folk music, and stays fairly close to the sources.

The title track features some of the most jaw dropping harmonies I've ever heard in my life, and I still can't stop listening to it. The third track, "Kylä Vuotti Uutta Kuuta" became an international hit of sorts, and features a "wall of sound" approach to Finnish folk. Imagine Ronnie Spector behind the sound board on this track, complete with swelling organ and kantele plucking, and you get an idea.

All the songs on this album are just outstanding. Värttinä shifted stylistic gears after Seleniko, which is a shame since the pop elements to their sound, while nice, are nowhere nearly as satisfying as their older, more acoustic albums. And Seleniko, without doubt, is the best of those older albums.

I can't recommend this album enough to anyone with even half an interest in folk music. People unaccustomed to word music might be put off by the fact that all the songs are in Finnish, but with a sound this good, it shouldn't be an obstacle for any but the most determined Anglophones. Try it, and I guarantee that you'll love it.

When I first heard this album -- almost ten years ago, now -- I was totally blown away. If you've ever wondered what angels sound like when they sing, this will surely be the closest you're going to get this side of Heaven. Sure, the lyrics are in Finnish, but that makes little difference. The music and spirit transcends all and, after listening, you'll be left in a state of bliss. Of special note are tracks 3 (Kyla Vuotti Uutaa Kuuta) and 8 (Leppiainen). If you're curious about Varttina, this album is a terrific entry point, smack dab in the middle of their musical progression from traditional Finnish folk group to world music powerhouse.

Highly recommended.

By the way, this album became my entry point into a vast treasure trove of might be best called "progressive scandinavian folk" music. Be sure to check out other Varttina albums, as well as the work of Hedningarna and Garmarna from Sweden, Sorten Muld from Denmark, and Sirmakka from Finland.

Varttina's debut album for the Green Linnett/Xenophile label, "Seleniko" is the folksiest of the group's releases. Traditional Finnish melodies and strident female folk-singing are successfully blended with instrumental accompaniments that combine Scandinavian, Celtic and modern elements. More laid back and accoustic than some of Varttina's later work, "Seleniko" celebrates the band's traditional roots. Topics of the songs, sung in Finnish with English translations provided, are the stuff of all traditional folk music--love, courtship, marriage and drinking. The acapella song "Sulhassii", accompanied only by hand claps, is particularly fun, gaily encouraging young girls to accept a suitor. "Hyva Tyttona Hypata", on the contrary, warns girls to remain maids so they won't have move into a stranger's house and fawn on a mother-in-law. This simple song is arranged with a modern feel to it, building and evolving as the verses progress. All in all, "Seleniko" is an impressive and innovative debut with the promise of much more to come! Varttina's next, "Aitara", kicks it up a notch, while the solo release by lead singers Sari and Mari Kaasinen, "Can We Have Christmas Now?", delves more deeply into traditional Finnish music.

What you are hearing in this album is a group in transition. These songs lie on the border of the Finnish Folk sound where the group originated and the pop sound which would come to dominate their later albums. In Seleniko, you have the perfect synthesis of these two elements.

The incredible performance on this album is marked by odd meters that keep you hopping, talented instrumentation (including violins, a hammond organ, and saxophone), and about the tightest, most striking group vocals you've ever heard. The sound is very full and the quality of the songs is consistently great all the way through the album. At the end of the last song, you get the feeling that you have listened to something really unique.

If you like ethnic folk, and are in the mood for something different, give Seleniko a try. Get a taste of their last real Finnish folk album before the synths got switched on.

This Cd is one of the most exciting I have ever bought. I brings together influences from so many parts, bringing them together to form a uniquely Finnish Music. Some tracks sound so eastern while others are almost celtic. Binding all this together are 4 of the bravest and most brilliant singers I have ever heard. Especialy good are tracks 1,3,5,7,8,10 and 11. If you love spirited music with a great beat, you won't be able to stop listening to this...I haven't!

This CD was my first exposure to Värtinä in the early 90's...it was also my first exposure to semi-traditional Finnish music. Very upbeat and happy. Unfortunately, at that time, I was restricted to the music available at brick-and-mortar stores. I ended up with three of their early CD's before I couldn't find their music any longer. Once the internet market place became more robust, I discovered them again. Wikipedia also explains the various reorganizations and "infightings" of the group. While I haven't heard their more recent music, I can recommend their early music of which this is a great example. Beautiful voices and melodies.

Anyone who watched the "Arthur" Episodes "Binky Rules", and "Meet Binky", Track 5 wad Heard in the episodes in case you were wondering what album this is also from.