Cosmologies

The village of Rääkkylä in Finnish Karelia has an important place in Finland's musical history as the birthplace, nearly 40 years ago, of legendary band Värttinä. Kantele player and singer-songwriter Marjo Smolander grew up there too and, on her debut album, you can feel this heritage in the music alongside her own musical personality and her creative curiosity about African music, Mali and Senegal in particular.

The real star here is the kantele which Smolander plays with the lightest and cleanest of touch so that it sparkles alongside the percussive purrings of the Finnish language and warms to the softenings of the African rhythms, dancing alongside its kora cousin, swooning happily with the electric guitar and playing mischievously with the violin. With a deft, painterly touch, different percussion instruments widen this beautifully chosen palette.

Like Värttinä before her, Smolander embraces life in all its hues in her lyrics: from the darkest of spells, to the perils and joys of womanhood. You don't need to speak Finnish to sense the longing and loss in some of the songs, alongside a wonderful sense of freedom and the real joy of letting go. A debut album that leaves us wanting more.