Crossover has been around for a while, whether fueled by commercial interests or not. Just to say that a big mixing pot does not automatically produce a tasty dish. This CD, however, offers an infectious fusion of classical, rock, and folk music, and it works. The melting pot hasn't even cracked, despite the violence of percussion, electric guitars, ethnic Saami vocals (joik), and classically
… symphonic organ sounds. Sámi artist Ola Stinnerbom leads us to Saajva, the death realm of the Samen or Sami, the original inhabitants of Lapland. His rough, earthy vocals mix brilliantly with the guitars and the organ violence; you could astound a March hangover with them. All in all, a fascinating shamanic journey that could have been of all times, and is of our time for that very reason. (HJ)more
