FILARFOLKET – Birfilarmusik från Malmö (Amalthea, 1980)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Originally named Birfilarna, they released one album as such, ”Än svänger det” in 1978. After reorganizing the group, they adopted their new name Filarfolket, and eventually enjoyed quite some success in the 80s. Maybe they're best known for properly launching the career of multi-instrumentalist Ale Möller who for a long time has been a go-to musician when you've needed any odd stringed instrument. Other notable Filarfolket members include Dan ”Gisen” Malmquist and for a while also first class fiddler Ellika Frisell.

Filarfolket have always been a good-natured lot, rarely digging into the darker side of Swedish traditional music. Instead they've always had a broad musical outlook, gladly interweaving musical elements from the entire world, from the Balkans all the way to Africa and Asia. Their curiousity for how musical traditions are connected and compatible was seemingly endless, and with high level skills to combine them seamlessly, they truly were a creative outfit.

With ”Birfilarmusik från Malmö” being their first album under the Filarfolket moniker, they hadn't yet developed their unprejudiced approach in full, but the typical Filarfolket moods are already set. The music's extremely well played, enthusiastic and warm at heart, but as I refer my folk music darker, it gets a bit too rosy-cheeked and cheerful for me.

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GÖRAN SKYTTE & BIRFILARNA – Än svänger det... (Amalthea, 1978)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Most Swedes probably remember Göran Skytte as a political journalist, but prior to his work for television and daily papers, and prior to turning to Christianity, he was an occasional Hoola Bandoola Band member and following their demise, he joined Mikael Wiehe in his then new band Kabaréorkestern. Skytte also performs on a couple of albums from the 70's and 80's. including this one with Birfilarna where he plays, accordion and nyckelharpa.

”Än svänger det” is an album recorded live at Restaurang Syd in Malmö. An unspectacular LP – there are far better examples of traditional Swedish music than this one.

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