Label: Bafe’s Factory
Date: January 14th, 2022
If we call music an art form there are some artists who really know how to prove that in big spotlight. As a person who really loves experiments in music, especially with folk elements, Ritva Nero and their album “Immortal Tradition” is my piece of cake. To make really syncretic music, musicians need to know a lot about it and, of course, have much creativity.
In this album you have only instrumental melodies but sometimes we don’t need words to have fun. In the Balkans we have one similar band. It’s called Kultur Shock and they make some kind of hybrid folk / progressive. I can’t even say if it’s rock or metal or whatever, but surely it’s so good! This kind of music reminds me on them.
From the top to the end of the album every song is a story for itself. Every new song brings different spirit and atmosphere. Using folk instruments like bagpipes or Jew’s harp, it’s hard to combine with modern rhythms. Especially when brutality of metal knocks on the door.
As I’m a dancer I must say that I am very surprised that this kind of band exists and here’s what it is about. You surely heard about mazurka, polka and other old dances from central and north Europe. Well, in their own way Ritva Nero is reliving those dances and melodies from the 1800s. Who would say, ha? Saying it sounds old fashioned, but trust me it’s not. Melodies of those dances stayed really deep in the roots of Slavic and Finish people ‘til these days. It’s their identity and runs through their veins, of course. Thanks to people like them we can make those melodies live again and even popular.
“Moshpit Mazurka”, for example, took my heart because with progressive drum rhythm in the background and beautiful folk melodies, it sounds so pompous and creative like some kind of rhapsody. “Rahapolska Helsigista” with bagpipes is playing in my head all day. Names of the songs are even funny and we know what we will listen. “Trepatska Thrasher”, for instance, has a popular thrash drum rhythm all the time in the background and that kind of crazy atmosphere. Not all melodies are heavy or we can’t even say a genre of this but the beauty remains.
With much beautiful impressions I must say that I am honoured to say a few words about this piece of art and as a citizens of the world we must keep our roots alive and help others in that or we will die without a single mark left about our nation and culture.
