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KARKELO – Folk Music Album of the Year 2024!

Their melodies are distinctive, with a forcefulness to the delivery and finesse in the detail. -Martin Longley/Songlines https://www.songlines.co.uk/

Fresh and flashy Finnish folk music!

Polenta is a vibrant quartet of three fiddles and acoustic guitar that tackles the Nordic folk tradition and turns it into a kaleidoscope of colors. Winners of the 2024 Finnish Folk Music Album of the Year and the Konsta Jylhä Competition, Polenta's feel good fiddle music evokes deep joy through vivid instrumental storytelling, offering listeners a moment of communal solace in a time of division.

What began as an exploration of the UNESCO-recognized Kaustinen fiddle tradition has grown into a palette of original compositions rooted in traditional styles like polska and schottis, but unafraid to expand beyond the folk dance floor. The ensemble manages to combine fierce folk energy with chamber-like dynamics, breathing and moving like a unified eight-handed organism.

Their name — Finnish slang for "stomp" — is an embodied promise of movement. It is a sound best experienced live, described by reviewers as "impossible to sit still" to. Having played Viljandi Folk Festival (EST) Baltimore Fiddle Fair (IRL) and Musik over Prastø Fjord (DK) among others, the quartet is a seasoned international force.

While the band’s debut album, Kaustinen Turbo, consisted of rearranged traditional tunes, Matkaaja continues the path of composing started on Karkelo. The tracks on Matkaaja draw inspiration from life on the road: shared tours, travels, and the collective experiences that spark new musical explorations.

Polenta’s innovative arrangements highlight the natural rhythms and lovely melodies of these traditional pieces, and their sound world extends to a grand cinematic feel, complete with angelic harmonies. -Amanda Kauranne/Finnish Music Quarterly https://kansanmusiikki-lehti.fi/