Suo
Helsinki, Central Finland, Finland | INDIE
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" Suo presents it's Kalevala poetry with finesse and easily approachable way. The groove of the album goes to your feet, and its many refrains are quickly accompaning your day. --- This surely will also be listened by others than us deep dwellers, who are into achaive tapes." - Pelimanni 4 / 2009, Jimmy Träskelin
"Suo is one of the most impressive bands of the new wave of folk music, and has released its second CD, The Sea Drives my Mind. Although the trio is equal of strength, the essence of Suo is Veera Voima's intensive, melodic and controlled phrasing. --- An exquisite album." - Muusikko 12/2009, Pekka Nissilä
"The ensemble's playing and singing was a powerful dedication to folk traditions at the same time as there was an invocation of fresh new insight. Suo's sound was deep and it smelled like the marshland herb, tasted like a cloudberry." - Kimmo Hämäläinen, Pitäjänuutiset 6.10.2009
Discography
Ei päivien perijätä, 2006 (Texicalli Records)
Maja-majava, 2008 (Bonobon)
The Sea Drives my Mind, 2009 (Texicalli Records)
Earth Dreams, Tree Dreams, 2011 (Texicalli Records)
From all of these CD's some tracks have been played in radio: for example Ei päivien perijätä, Metsän tyttö from the first CD, Tipsis tapsis and Maja-majava on childrens programs and Mieltäni meri ajaa, The Sea Drives my Mind from the newest release. The music of our first CD was used in a document of Finland, and it has been shown in national TV on Christmas time 2007 and 2008. Some songs from the same CD were also part of the sound track of an German nature document focusing of Finnish Wolverine.
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Bio
Suo
(The Marshland)
The music of Suo digs deep down into the landscape of archaic Finnish runosinging: the rich language of kalevala poetry, the fascinating myths and spells, the ageless flow of kantele music.
Interpreted by this skillful trio, the forgotten music becomes alive once more and gets injected straight into your spine: the energetic guitar of Roope Aarnio, the nimble fiddle of Emilia Lajunen and powerful voice of Veera Voima will take you on an unforgettable journey.
The other elements adding to the unique sound of Suo are 16th century nyckelharpa, 15-string kantele, shaman drum and shakers, low whistle and overtone flute, and rich 3-voice harmonies.
The thousand year old kalevala-poetry is brought to this day with musical influences from other genres and cultures - like folk music has always done. In Suo's music can be heard traces of for example Balkan, Scandinavia, Ireland, heavy music as well as pop.
Suo was founded in the year 2004, and the members have all graduated from Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department, where Roope and Emilia teach nowadays. Veera teaches choirs and folk singing in the capital city area. The musicians play also in other professional groups: Veera in Suden Aika -quartet and nostalgy-pop group Kaipuun Kukkatarha, Emilia for example in Spontaani Vire, Kirjava Lintu and in duo with organ player Ville Urponen. Roope's groups are for example Orkestar Bordurka, Auvo Quartet and duo with Johanna Juhola.
The year 2007 Suo was asked to participate in a folk music competition in Rääkkylä Kihaus Festival, where the band won first prize together with Kraja. The same year Suo composed music for a nature document on Finland, that was ordered by Ministry of Environment for the Finland's 90th year festivities. The movie was shown with a live concert, and in the audience there was also Mrs. President Tarja Halonen. The document has been broadcasted in national TV in the year 2007 and 2008. It was also shown in nature document festivals in Estonia and Russia. Year 2006 band's music was used in a German nature document of Finnish wolverine.
Suo released it's first CD Ei päivien perijätä in 2006, arranged and recorded a childrens music project Maja-majava in 2008 and the new comer The Sea Drives my Mind was released in the fall 2009. Suo toured widely promoting it: in Finland the band had 18 concerts, and performed also in Sweden (Backafestival) and Estonia (Viru Folk) as well as in Switzerland and Germany.
Suo was one of the five nominees for Finnish equivalent of music oscar, Etno-Emma prize of 2010.
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