Idioten by Kebnekajse

Kebnekajse takes folk rock to new heights. Forty years after their debut, the Swedish 70’s folk rock pioneers have gathered no moss. Two years after their acclaimed comeback, and proven by countless tours they now present what is perhaps their strongest recordings ever – “Idioten” (The Fool). On this album Kebnekajse widens views and lets the folk music tone find new forms, free from any tightly held reins. “We wanted to give the folk music new feet. From the vast cannon of ancient Swedish folk songs we wanted to highlight songs that stand out, rare songs that leave room for improvisation and debauchery in the spirit of the psychedelic ’70s. It’s unlimited music where intricate melodies and distinctive rhythms takes unexpected turns. Electrical. Eclectic. While unified in a dynamic drive. Kebnekajse has deepened the interplay in the last years of touring. In the initial track Barfota (Barefoot) the electric guitar and violin spins melodic sound weaves over pulsating drums, percussion and double basses. Heavy and soft at the same time. Fäbodpslam (Mountain Shack Psalm) breathes beautifully melancholy before the great polska From-Olle (Pious-Olle)whips up a furious pace. Hans & Greta is tight like a music box in the melody interplay while Senpolska (Late Polska) from Hälsingland becomes a drawn-out distorted drone piece (“like a grunt from the deepest of halls of the mountain king”). The musicians also breaks up with jam trips and let’s loose the love of their musical roots. The title track Idioten (The Fool) (“polska not sly on a spot”) madly mixes a Hälsingland polska with hard progressive rock. Stockholm Polka get a snorting country feel and the collective Senegal Beat becomes dreamlike Afro-funk psych with a Alpine feel. The closing Norwegian “walking tune” Sangenuten (The Song Without) is connected with a long tail of psychedelia. With Idioten (The Fool) Kebnekajse lifts Swedish folk rock to new heights. And new psychedelic overtones. Sweden’s hardest folk musicians widens the sound with psychedelic folk rock on their new album Idioten (The Fool).

Kebnekajse takes Swedish folk rock to new heights. Over forty years after their debut, the Swedish 70’s folk rock pioneers have gathered no moss.
“We want to give Swedish folk music “new feet”. From the vast cannon of ancient Swedish folk songs we want to highlight songs that stand out, rare songs that leave room for improvisation and debauchery in the spirit of the psychedelic ’70s”.