With their dazzling interplay and imaginative arrangements, exciting Swedish instrumental trio Ahlberg, Ek & Roswall (AER) are now joining forces with Ulrika Bodén, whose exquisite vocals immerse listeners in their country's rich cultural traditions.
Working on a new repertoire with both songs and tunes, Ahlberg, Ek & Roswall return to Shetland in collaboration with Ulrika Bodén and her expressive way of singing and a voice that is both ethereal and powerful.
Almost a decade since their debut Shetland Folk Festival appearance in 2015, AEK’s repertoire continues to be based on traditional Swedish tunes as well as their own compositions. Traditional Swedish dance tunes merge energetically with baroque and contemporary influences in their imaginative arrangements of slängpolskas from Skane, triplet-based polskas from Medelpad, as well as their own compositions. The trio has firmly established itself on the Swedish folk scene, picking up the Group of the Year award at the 2016 Swedish Folk & World Music Gala.
Ulrika Boden is one of the best known folksingers in Sweden today and along with Nyckelharpa master Nicklas Rosswall was a founding member of pioneering Sweding folk band "Ranarim". Her solo album "Korksangern-Folk Hymns" is a beautiful collection of traditional Swedish folk hymns that will transport you to the serene landscapes of Scandinavia. Her latest ablum Te Berga Blå (To the Blue Mountains) has also been highly praised as a tribute to the pastoral music and its tradition bearers – the women.
Now working with Alberg, Ed and Roswall, the quartet of musicians are working towards a new album release in 2024.
Performing at the 2024 Shetland Folk Festival will be Ulrika Bodén (vocals, dulcimer, härjedalspipa), Emma Ahlberg (5 string violin), Daniel Ek (harp guitar) & Niklas Roswall (nyckelharpa and moraharpa).
Their magically lush, buoyantly rhythmic new versions of venerable tunes – chiefly highlighting the bewildering diversity of that country’s dominant polska form, but also interwoven with graceful baroque elements – thoroughly captivated the show’s sellout crowd.
The Scotsman, 2017
she gives these lilting songs a fresh, frank treatment. Bodén's supple soprano voice leaps back and forth between chest and head ranges with the nimble footing of a mountain goat.
Rootsworld
A trio of highly skilled musicians playing sensitive, fateful, suggestive, solemnly
Lars Lind, Lira
Find out more at www.ahlbergekroswall.se/en.
