Hippjokk

On their fourth album the Swedish folk-rockers are minus the female vocalists, and return to their original trio. Anders Stake, Bjorn Tollin and Hallbus Mattsson push the far edge of "folk" using ancient instruments like bagpipes, transverse flutes, oud and drums in electronic and acoustic versions. The songs all have roots in very old Swedish tradition, but the execution is pure modernity. With guests like Wimme Saari, the famed Finnish "joiker" and Norwegian guitarist Knut Reiersrud they have forged a new sound for Scandinavia ... again. --Louis Gibson