Somehow I totally slept on this when it was released in the summer of 2024, but I recently fished it out of the digital folder where it was languishing and have been listening to it a lot. Väntenätter is the second album put out by the Swedish/Norwegian trio Mojna, following the critical success of their debut album in 2023.
Fans of the Swedish trio/duo Väsen should definitely check out Mojna. This trio follows a somewhat similar template, playing tradition based music with modern arrangements and sensibilities that make it very appealing to contemporary listeners.
Mojna is Thomas Eriksson, who composed all of the music on Väntenätter and plays guitar; Helga Myhr on Hardanger fiddle and occasional vocalizing; and Anna Malmström on bass clarinet and Bb clarinet. The inclusion of these latter woodwinds make their sound unique, and Malmström’s interests in jazz, Eastern European sounds, and Anatolian taksim improvization (she’s also grounded in Nordic folk music) take things in sometimes unexpected directions.
Needless to say the other two players also contribute greatly to the ensemble’s progressive vibe. The Oslo based freelancer Eriksson’s compositions lead the way, and his melodic guitar playing is the foundation of the sound. The compositions and guitar parts frequently echo Celtic styles, as in the jig-adjacent opening and closing tracks “Ljusnar” and “Skimring,” and the springar bounce of “Svirra.” His solo piece “Motvind” introduces flamenco stylings in a very Nordic uneven dance beat. Helga Myhr is also a member of the Norwegian women’s vocal quintet Kvedarkvintetten, and the progressive folk ensemble Morgonrode, whose Du Milde Verden was one of my favorite releases of 2020. Her Hardanger does most of the heavy lifting here in terms of melody, while Malmström’s clarinets move between providing rhythm, drone, and melody. It also, as mentioned above, pulls the music out of a pure Nordic sound and into Turkish territory, as it does on the softly mysterious “Väv.”
The unison playing of fiddle with, alternately, the guitar and clarinet is a highlight on the waltz “Anblick,” which also features shades of klezmer during a brief clarinet solo.
There’s also some Eastern European influence in the melody of the title tune “Väntenätter,” which brings in noted Hardanger fiddler Erlend Apneseth (who also produced the album) and allows Myhr to do some subtle vocalizing. The two fiddles and Malmström’s deep bass clarinet backing make this track a real treat.
If you enjoy tradition-rooted modern Nordic folk music, don’t sleep on this one like I did. There’s music is available in the usual online places, and you can find lots of videos on their Facebook site and their website.
(Heilo, 2024)
