A Four-Part Musical Journey Reaches Its Powerful Conclusion
In a fittingly atmospheric release for the time of year, Ume Sámi vocalist Sara Ajnnak and British folk-improv duo The Ciderhouse Rebellion have unveiled the final chapter of their ambitious collaborative project. Their joint series, Landscapes of the Spirit, delivered in four distinct parts throughout 2025, has now reached its completion with the dark and dazzling finale, Jábmieájmmuo (Shadows Between Worlds).
Where Ancient Tradition Meets Fearless Improvisation
The project represents a profound meeting of musical worlds. Ajnnak brings her commanding grasp of the joik, one of the oldest vocal art forms in Sámi culture. This tradition uses short lyrics or purely vocal sounds to create musical portraits of people, places, and animals. She is joined by the dramatic folk improvisations of fiddler Adam Summerhayes and accordionist Murray Grainger, who together form The Ciderhouse Rebellion. The collaboration is especially significant as Ajnnak's Arctic language is considered one of the most threatened in the world.
The cycle has journeyed through different stages of existence, from Geärkakame (Cradle) to Gárránis (Raven), Hálluo (Desire), and now the concluding Jábmieájmmuo. On the title track of this final part, Ajnnak's performance is particularly potent. Her vocals whip from stuttering high notes to low ululations and panting breaths, building to growls worthy of a heavy metal track. This is all supported by wheezy drones and wriggling fiddle melodies from her collaborators.
A Climax of Elemental Power and Eerie Beauty
In this powerful finale, Ajnnak embodies the nåejtie, a central spiritual figure in Sámi society who acted as a conduit between different worlds. This artistic choice carries deep resonance at a time when industrial expansion and the climate crisis pose an existential threat to her indigenous culture. The track is punctuated by the haunting sound of a baby's gurgle, adding another layer of eerie beauty to the soundscape.
While the entire project is immersive, the earlier parts offer different intensities. Geärkakame (Cradle) is noted as the least powerful of the four, though its track Vuöstiebiegga (Whirlwind of Whispers) brilliantly builds a sense of gentle panic. Gárránis (Raven) features a vocal riff on Geärkkie – Whispers Through Stone that seems ripe for an ambient remix. Hálluo (Desire) presents Ajnnak as a fascinatingly older and softer soul, with Summerhayes and Grainger's playing sounding more supportive and longing behind her. Yet, it is the series' dark climax—a gibbering, howling conversation with the elements—that leaves the most lasting impression and creates a longing for more.
Other notable folk releases this month include:
- Merlyn Driver's gorgeous debut, It Was Also Sometimes Daylight, a great follow-up to his 2022 project Simmerdim: Curlew Sounds.
- Jake Xerxes Fussell and James Elkington's Rebuilding, a soundtrack of soft-hearted instrumentals that occasionally veers into excessive prettiness.
- Lisa O'Neill's six-track EP, The Wind Doesn't Blow This Far Right, which includes her celebrated cover of Bob Dylan's All the Tired Horses and sharp political tirades.
