II

Is prog folk a genre? Then Swedish band Fränder may be a fit, with their mix of bombastic vocals, heavy clashing arrangements and operatic aesthetics. They list influences like Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull and have a decidedly 70s sound, with the heavy, almost overwrought arrangement on a song like ‘En Sommarkväll’ reminding of a time when bands holed up for weeks in the studio crafting baroque worlds around their music. Other tracks, like ‘Rabatud’, are more anchored in traditional melody, even though this tune was composed by Säde Tatar, the band’s Estonian member. Estonian folk music is key to this album, from Tatar’s bagpipe playing on ‘Tid Att Komma Hem’ to the traditional Estonian song ‘Õhtu Õrna’.

A true family band, Fränder are anchored around brothers Gabbi and Daniel Dluzewski and sister Natasja Dluzewska who hail from the tiny ancient viking village of Håga near Uppsala. Also joining the band is percussionist Björn Tollin, a founding member of Hedningarna. Tollin’s presence here is interesting, as the album harkens back to the glory days of Nordic roots music in the 90s. Dense with flute, fiddle and the crashing strings of the Swedish låtmandola, II is drenched in the ambience of old Scandinavia.