Photo by Maarit Kytöharju
“Two tradition bearers taking care of old melodies and stories from archive, making them tradition of this day with fiddle, kontrabasharpa and electronics”.
See also: Juuri & Juuri
Emilia Lajunen, 5-string fiddle, nyckelharpa, kontrabasharpa, vocals
Eero Grundström, harmonicas, electronics, vocals
Emilia Lajunen and Eero Grundström have almost 25 years history of playing together. Both are well-known professional Finnish folk musicians known together for example energetic Spontaani Vire and aqoustic duo Juuri & Juuri. On this nordic coolness, electric duo, Lajunen combine her 5-string fiddle, kontrabasharpa and voice to Grundström´s modular synthesizers, harmonicas and movement-based sensors up to create new forms of traditions of folk music, synthesizers and electronics music. Together their style of playing claims its origins in archaic heritage and fiddler music but as a totally new nordic energetic dancing music which has been heard for ex. on Rudolstadt Festival 2024, Haapavesi Folk, on tour of Finnish Folk Music Association, and on tours in Sweden and Finland. All 25 years history of playing together really matters and could been heard.
This simultaneous dancing and playing, electrical and creative duo were born 2020. This musical duo expresses and communicates themselves through playing and singing. Music which duo creates has both historical roots and layers from archives but also deep knowledge of these days folk music. There would not be trees without roots. Music is happening on a moment, so it is including much improvisation on different forms. As a duo Lajunen and Grundström are tradition bearers, but they are building and continuing it where fiddlers left it on the archive recordings, keeping it alive and finding new fresh forms of this day.
Photo by Jani Snellman (Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 2025)
Legacy of the Dead: Deep in the Dregs raises a whole village full of possessed fiddlers from their archival graves. Their age-old craft is combined with Emilia Lajunen’s unique style and electrified by Eero Grundström, Lajunen’s musical partner of two decades.
The two title songs were recorded from two fiddlers from the old days, Jalmari Siiriäinen and Juho Laitila. The legacy of the dead is the dregs of folk music that stay at the bottom even if new performers stir things up by creating something new. The sediment of folk music, the unique playing styles, stories and fates recorded in the archives – all of it matters.
The music on this record is included in Emilia Lajunen’s doctoral degree in music at the Sibelius Academy of Uniarts Helsinki. The material for Lajunen’s musical research grew and evolved during the recording process, but the core, the impact of movement and dance on the music, remained. Movement soothes, excites, unites – it can be heard and felt.
In the old days people lived slow and indulged in quiet raptures. This music reaches towards that world through centuries of forgotten tales. Because of the distance, we must give music our imagination, and, above all, our time.
Legacy of the Dead: Deep in the Dregs
Vainaan perua -concert (YouTube link)
Photo by Jani Snellman 2023
Photos by Maarit Kytöharju (Oulun Musiikkijuhlat 2024) and by Jani Snellman (Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 2025)