The maritime character of the Faroe Islands, situated in the North Atlantic, leaves its some 45,000 native inhabitants constantly open to outside influences and cultural interchange. The music on this two-disc set from local label
Tutl
shows a melting pot of Scottish, Danish, Swedish, and Icelandic flavors and a distinct Medieval approach to ballads. The Faroe Islands are said to be the place "where the wind writes the music," and, indeed, the choral and solo vocal pieces collected here have a kind of stark, open airiness to them, and aside from the almost constant foot stomping, there is no accompaniment. The solo ballads grouped toward the end of the first disc are the most immediately compelling with soft-voiced and intimate melodies. Also included here are group hymns, game songs, and children's dancing songs, making this an odd and truly unique collection of recordings. ~ Steve Leggett