Sluring

While Frifot are the epitome of Swedish folk music, they're also a law unto themselves. On Sluring, the three highly individual talents: Ale Moller (multi-instrumentalist), Per Gudmundson (fiddler and bagpipes), and Lena Willemark (vocalist/fiddler), mesh perfectly, and always bring something unusual to the music, whether it's traditional or original. The herding song "If I Could Travel" is a perfect example, going from voice and cow horn, to a delicate fiddle piece accompanied by octave mandola, then on to a lovely song. In many ways they're alchemists, transforming the material at hand, even if it's with just their voices. Most of it is due to the people involved, who have not only great skills as singers and instrumentalists — Ale Moller is a national treasure — but also huge imaginations, which are constantly being brought to bear on the pieces. They're not afraid to try unusual instrumental combinations, and in Lena Willemark they possess a world-class singer. There's simply nothing here that doesn't delight the ear, and offer wonderful surprises and beauty. Like everything they've done before, this is a wonderful addition to their canon.