NEOFOLK ARTICLE (in Finnish)

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I did quick search has there already been topic of Neofolk... didn't find. I recall there has been talk of individual bands of the genre? Anyways, there has been already written books about this, lots of records been made, but perhaps among best articles I've seen in Finnish language is here:

http://sarastuslehti.com/2012/12/03/eurooppalaisuuden-puolustus-nykymusiikissa-neofolk-ja-martial-industrial-2/

It was published couple of months ago. As Sarastus is not "music blog", it's possible many people have not noticed the article, so posting link here. Sarastus is new radical blog with focus on more academic take on nationalism, traditionalism and european spirit. I guess this is the only music article yet to be featured. Normally it includes texts divided to politics/ideology, culture, history, science,..

Article focuses on music, but also culture and politics.

[burdizzo]

Unfortunately, I don't read Finnish at all - which is a pity, since I'd like to have read this article. However, a lot of it seems to be more or less a history of 'industrial' (and related) music. Well, for the first half, anyway (?). There's a link within to an interesting article on ''Apolitiec music: neo-folk, martial industrial and 'matapolitical fascism''', which possibly makes some similar points, but from a (I guess) different perspective.
I must say, I would be broadly sympathetic to neo-folk and what it represents, and I do enjoy the likes of Fire + Ice, Andrew King, Sonne Hagal, and Darkwood quite a lot. However, much of the genre seems musically insubstantial, and more like light relief for a short while. I have completely lost interest in Death in June and Der Blutharsch (though they were hardly ever 'neo-folk' anyway) for a few years now. My finger is not exactly 'on the pulse', I confess, but I do wonder if there's anything worthwhile out there lately that's worth checking out? Or has the whole 'neo-folk' thing peaked?

[Jaakko V.]

I do wonder if there's anything worthwhile out there lately that's worth checking out? Or has the whole 'neo-folk' thing peaked?

Tervahäät - Patria

Lyrics are in Finnish, but it's outstanding purely on musical merits. Very much under-recognised, probably because the label's promotional channels aren't very wide reaching, I guess.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Unfortunately, I don't read Finnish at all - which is a pity, since I'd like to have read this article. However, a lot of it seems to be more or less a history of 'industrial' (and related) music. Well, for the first half, anyway (?). There's a link within to an interesting article on ''Apolitiec music: neo-folk, martial industrial and 'matapolitical fascism''', which possibly makes some similar points, but from a (I guess) different perspective.

It deals with some of the same issues. As the Sarastus is most of all traditionalist blog, it includes the mostly works in spirit on ideas of Joseph de Maistre, Oswald Spengler and Julius Evola. Article's title is "Defending europeanism in contemporary music : neofolk & martial industrial". It approaches these music styles as basically only traditionalist and euro music in good sense of word. It rejects the accusation of fascism or even the element of metapolitics, and concludes how the left want to politicize any personal creative work that doesn't fit to their totalitarian worldview. Article goes through different cultural movements, related music genres and it comments on artists careers, analyses the differences of each projects approach in sound or lyrics.

I think even english translation could be good addition for articles about neofolk.

[burdizzo]

Tervahäät - Patria

Lyrics are in Finnish, but it's outstanding purely on musical merits. Very much under-recognised, probably because the label's promotional channels aren't very wide reaching, I guess.
[/quote]



Thanks for that - I'll give 'em a go.

[burdizzo]

Gave 'em a go - and very much enjoyed it. The fact the lyrics are in Finnish isn't a hurdle at all - sometimes it's good not to be able to understand the lyrics w/ neofolk! The last two tracks were a bit low-key, but otherwise this has been getting a good bit of playtime.