Search - Ulla Piritijarvi :: Ruossa Eanan

The primal sound of the joik is simply undeniable. It goes straight to the gut and the heart, evoking the sense of icy plains, the nomad Saami wandering. Atmospheric without every becoming New Agey, Pirttijarvi and her band weave a fine spell, her voice ringing, sometimes soft, sometimes brutal, over a basic rhythm (not too dissimilar to a Native American sound) with colors and textures provided by the instruments. It's Nordic, chilly, and stunningly beautiful. Even the normally warm cello takes on frozen overtones here, and the soprano sax whips away like a blizzard. It's not the fevered rush of Wimme or the woman warrior of Maire Boine; Pirttijarvi has her own contribution to the genre, and it's as haunting as Northern snow. --Chris Nickson