Finnish music | World Music Central

The album cover for Joku Raja Rakkaudessakin by Pauanne features a folkloric illustration of a two-headed, red-toned figure—half male, half female—set against a textured, patterned backdrop. Stylized birds, hearts, and silhouettes decorate their bodies.

Album reviews

Across the Boundaries of Love: Pauanne’s “Joku Raja Rakkaudessakin”

Pauanne – Joku Raja Rakkaudesakin (Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup, 2025) As I first pressed play on a cool spring evening, the ghostly violin and kantele…

The album cover for Värttinä – Kyly features red geometric folk motifs arranged symmetrically on a dark, textured blue wood background. The band’s name and album title appear in red gothic lettering.

Charts

Värttinä Surges to the Summit of World Music Charts Europe for July 2025

World Music Central News Room July 1, 2025 No Comments accordion Ammar 808 Barbora Xu Brighde Chaimbeul Camille Saglio Danças Ocultas Elana Sasson Finland Finnish music Grecia Albán Groupa Hamid Drake jouhikko Jules Maxwell Kadialy Kouyaté kantele Karoliina Kantelinen Lassi Logrén Lina_Majid Bekkas Mandé Sila Mari Kaasinen Matthieu Saglio Matti Laitinen Mikko Hassinen Natalia Lafourcade Nguyên Lê Oktopus Rodrigo Leão Salif Keita Sofia Leao Susan Aho Urna Chahar-Tugchi Värttinä Votia world music

The album Kyly by Finnish folk stars Värttinä Secured the coveted top position of World Music Charts Europe for the month of July 2025. Kyly…

The album cover for Áššu – Luohteniegut features stylized silhouettes of reindeer and antlers in red, white, and blue, radiating outward in a circular pattern against a dark teal background. The typography is clean and centered, with the artists’ names—Ulla Pirttijärvi, Kenneth Ekornes, and Olav Torget—listed discreetly in the lower right corner.

Album reviews

Áššu Rekindles Sámi Fire on Luohtenlegut

Tyler Bennet June 30, 2025 No Comments Áššu Finnish music joik Sami music world music

Áššu – Luoteniegut (Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup, 2025) Áššu, the trio led by veteran Finnish Sámi singer Ulla Pirttijärvi, intertwines traditional joik with contemporary sounds…

Teija Niku & Juha Kujanpää: Aamunkoitto cover artwork. A black and white photo of the two artists.

Album reviews

Dawn Duet: Niku and Kujanpää Break New Ground With Aamunkoitto

Angel Romero May 24, 2025 No Comments Finnish music Juha Kujanpää Teija Niku world music

Teija Niku & Juha Kujanpää – Aamunkoitto (Rockadillo Records ZENCD2197, 2025) Finnish musicians Teija Niku and Juha Kujanpää reunite on Aamunkoitto, a splendid collaborative album…

The album cover for Ivgu by Wimme + Rinne is dominated by red, black, and white. The central image resembles a symmetrical skeletal or clawed creature with elongated, flowing limbs, possibly inspired by Arctic or shamanic imagery. The background is a bold red with textured patterns, framed by black silhouettes that suggest branches, figures, or spirits. At the top, the artists' names appear in clean typography: “Wimme + Rinne,” while the album title “Ivgu” is set in a stylized serif font.

Album reviews

Yoik to the Future: Wimme + Rinne Return With Ivgu

Tyler Bennet May 6, 2025 No Comments Finnish music joik Tapani Rinne Wimme Wimme Saari world music

Wimme + Rinne – Ivgu (Rockadillo Records, 2025) After an eight-year hiatus, Sámi vocalist Wimme Saari and Finnish sound design artist Tapani Rinne reunite for…

The album cover for Frigg – Dreamscapes features a painted forest scene. Colorful tree trunks in shades of turquoise, magenta, and orange rise through a landscape of rolling hills, blending purples, greens, and warm earth tones.

Album reviews

Frigg – Dreamscapes: A Silver Anniversary

Angel Romero April 6, 2025 No Comments Finnish music Frigg Nordic music world music

Frigg – Dreamscapes (Bafe’s Factory, 2025) Remarkable Finnish folk ensemble Frigg is celebrating 25 years with the release of Dreamscapes, an album that expands their…

The album cover for Uusikuu – Piknik features a retro-inspired design with warm orange, yellow, and cream tones radiating from a central sunburst pattern. In the foreground, a joyful woman, likely lead singer Laura Ryhänen, lifts a checkered picnic cloth above her head.

Album reviews

A Musical Picnic With A Finnish Twist

Tyler Bennet March 26, 2025 No Comments Finnish music world music

Uusikuu – Piknik (Nordic Notes / CPL-Musicgroup, 2025) Finnish band Uusikuu returns with Piknik, their sixth album, offering a joyful, nostalgic and charming mix of…

Album reviews

Karjalasta Kolttien Maille Bridges Karelian and Skolt Sámi Cultures

Madison Quinn January 16, 2025 No Comments Amanda Kauranne Anna Lumikivi Emmi Kuittinen Erkki Lumisalmi Finnish music Karelian music Karjalasta kolttien maille Sami music Skolt Sámi world music

Karjalasta kolttien maille – Karjalasta kolttien maille (Global Music Centre, 2022) The album Karjalasta Kolttien Maille (From Karelia to the Skolt Sámi Lands), released in…

Px3Kauppila - Hirttäytynyt Neito cover artwork. a side shot of a person sticking out their tongue, wearing traditional winter clothing and hat.

Album reviews

Px3Kauppila’s Exploration of Finnish Spell Poems

Madison Quinn November 19, 2024 No Comments Finnish music Px3Kauppila world music

Px3Kauppila – Hirttäytynyt Neito (EKZ Records, 2024) In Hirttäytynyt Neito (The Hanged Maid), Pauliina Kauppila, operating under the moniker Px3Kauppila, crafts a haunting and immersive…

Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha - Äyskäri cover artwork. A photo of the band holding their musical instruments.

Album reviews

Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha Return with “Äyskäri”: A Fresh Acoustic Revival

JGurski November 3, 2024 No Comments Finnish music Jaakko Laitinen world music

Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha – Äyskäri (Playground Music, 2024) Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha, the Lapland-Balkan fusion band, released their seventh album, Äyskäri, on…