Swedish traditional music has many reasons to thank Ale Möller and Per Gudmundson. Their music in Frifot (with singer Lena Willemark) did so much in the 1980s to give folk music a much-needed boost. Both have recently re-released these recordings from the 80s.

Ale Möller's first love was the bouzouki, which he learned to play in Greece. His own instrument has a slightly different, softer sound with an extra drone, and is very suited to Swedish folk music. Möller has travelled far and wide musically, yet his passion for Sweden is obvious. For this album, he has invited a few friends, including the fine fiddler Ellika Frisell. It's a superb collection of Swedish folk tunes (plus Simon & Garfunkel's ‘Feeling Groovy’), with many highlights including ‘Polska Efter Lars Orre’, which is a beguiling and dark dance tune.

Per Gudmundson's CD features a bagpipe from Dalecarlia, the historical hotbed of Swedish folk music in the centre of the country. The bagpipe featured in Swedish music at the beginning of the last century, yet its origins are still clouded in some mystery. The CD liner notes have some fascinating in-depth information and bagpipe diagrams while the music shows us that this bagpipe can have a sweetness and lightness well-suited to Swedish folk tunes and rhythms. Guest musicians on the album include the singer Agneta Stolpe and Ola Backström on fiddles.