Roots Music Report
Written by Joe Ross
April 18, 2024
Up in the Province of Lapland, Sweden and just north of the Arctic
Circle is the locality of Jokkmokk, a settlement with about 3,000
people. While Jokkmokk is an important place for Sámi people and
several institutions related to them, it is also the home of singer and
songwriter Mirja Palo Päiviö who also plays some kantele, drums
and percussion on her new album about birthing
called Riegádahttin. With other musicians adding percussion, flute,
marimba, bass, keys, guitar, kantele, violin, synthesizer, samples,
electronics and backing vocals, the result is highly arranged,
relaxing and poetic set of evocative music with a unique
effervescence that shines with joy.
Most of the songs are sung with Swedish lyrics, except for the 6-
minute “Lullaby” that has lyrics in North Sámi and references to the
bird of meadow, white wagtail, plover of plains and downy dove as
the little one is encouraged to “fly to the mountain of sleep.”
Slightly more tempo is provided to Mirja Palo’s self-penned “You
Are Alive,” and “I Sat Down by Your Bed” is based on traditional
music and lyrics from Hilda Ajanki. “Oh Creator” is a beautiful
rendition of a plea for aid, warmth and relief sung by four voices
with minimal accompaniment of kantele and percussion.
Influenced by its inland and northerly position, Jokkmokk's varied
subarctic climate is very cold by Swedish standards. Despite it being
from one of the coldest municipal seats in Sweden Lapland in terms
of winter temperatures, this album’s music has a very heartwarming
and welcoming quality. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)”
Songlines
" "Life is here, can you feel it?" Mirja Palo´s lyrics don´t shy away from the pain of labour and childbirth and the inpending closeness of a new life. In this album, she says, "I wanted to use my own and others ´experiences to musically portray the pregnant state in all its vulnerability, fragility and at the same time, the immense force that is released while giving birth" Feeling which are both universal and, here, deeply personal. Palo expresses these feelings - from pain and mystery, to female strength immersed in her own heritage from the north of Sweden and in the Sámi language, using the traditional kantele (Finnish Lyre). Her voice is warm and powerful and the tracks in which she includes traditional jojk singing are compelling. ('Beaivelotti soajit'). Percussion from Jonas Sjöblom adds interesting textures ('Tule Luoja'), too. Riegádahttin is a thoughtful and thought-provoking album, which sees Mirja Palo articulating her poetry so clearly that it´s easy to get caught up in its purring rhytms, with no need for translations. It is also beautifully produced. " (Fiona Talkington, Songlines)
Lira Magazine
Mirja Palo´s first full length album has gotten the name Riegádahttin which means birth in North Sámi dialect. The theme of the album comes from pragnency and birth which Palo states is an underrepresentated subject in the music and artworld. Palo changes perspective from the past to the now in her comments on this theme. The singer and musician from Jokkmokk performs many of her songs on North Sámi dialect. Mirja Palo has finnish origin and really no sami backround. In spite of this she decided to learn the language not to long ago. And the language is in this case really important for the musical identity because it´s in her combination with the traditional finnish instrument Kantele (easily one of my favourite instruments) that her special expression appears. The Album Riegádahttin carry an explorative and up to date folk music with a modern expression where traditional singing, pop, art music and expressive soundscapes meet. It may sound like ice-like pianokeyes or somekind of japanese string instrument - it´s always same but different. To create music that is enchanting in this way is not an easy game. The musical labour of Mirja Palo has given birth to a healthy and strong record. Timo Kangas, Lira Music Magazine