Alterne
There are some imaginative arrangements, with Maimu Jõgeda’s accordion frequently taking on other colors, mimicking dark synthesizer tones to make the sound pillow for “Finland,” then turning around to sound sweetly lyrical elsewhere. Jessen proves herself to be far more than a passable singer (glide with the glorious vocal swoops on “Go Down River”), and her writing shows astonishing poise and maturity, quite capable of drawing from the pop side of folk and blending it seamlessly with the tradition to make an satisfying whole.
While it’s largely understated, the musicianship here is outstanding. Multi-instrumentalist Oscar Beerten adds plenty of texture throughout, and finally has a chance to shine on “Polsan,” where he truly scorches the strings. Alterne have made an astonishingly assured, ambitious debut, and created a unique, pan-European sound. Touring will very likely tighten them up even further, and hopefully make them more adventurous. And who knows what might come after that?
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The record label calls this album dream folk, but there’s plenty of crunch and bite to the music in the debut from this trio from Denmak, Belgium and Estonia who met while studying at the Sibelius Academy in Finland – about as much of a mish-mash as you can find. Ida Marie Jessen composes the outstanding music (playing violin and kantele), but all three can explode with fire and passion, as “Alle Terner” shows.
