New album release 6th Feb: This is the sound of the ancient yoiks in the 2020s
Ánnámáret Luohteilbmi is the name of the new band of Sámi musician Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman. Ánnámáret performs traditional North Sámi yoiks or “luohti" with fresh ethnoelectro arrangements. The album “Luođit” will be released on 6th of February 2025 on Sami National Day.
Photo credits: Karoliina Juhola. Original picture: Näkkälän Jussan porotokka Raaskaltion lähteellä, photgrapher Juhani Ahola, year 1921-1929, source Finna.fi, organization Finnish Heritage Agency, Historical photo collection and Juhani Ahola collection.
Ánnámáret Luohteilbmin's Luođit album brings old yoiks into a modern context in the spirit of rematriation, highlighting the ability of Sámi culture to change with the needs of the times. The old songs on the album were found in sound archives from the 1960s by Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman. The old lyrics are reflected in the new lyrics composed and written by Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman, linking the old and new traditions in a continuum.
Rematriation means adapting the returned cultural heritage of indigenous people to their contemporary life and culture. The Luođit album returns forgotten creatures to the Sámi community, combining Ánnámáret's ancient yoik sound with the band's modern sound, creating a new interpretation of the old yoiks.
"The yoiks I heard in the archives were so beautiful and part of a precious tradition that I felt that as a musician I had the opportunity to bring them back into this time. I struggled with whether these old yoiks would change too much in the process, but it felt more important to bring the yoiks to life in this time rather than to let them lie dormant in the archives." Ánnámáret explains the motives behind recording the album.
Songs on the album were produced by Sami Zimmermann (keyboards, wind instruments and programming) and arranged together with the band members Janne Lappalainen (string instruments) and Sara Puljula (percussion and double bass). The Luođit album also features a guest yoiker Petrabiret Magga-Vars.
Album pre-download link to streaming services: https://orcd.co/annamaretluodit
A link to the audio files of the album will be sent to the media on request: anna@annamaret.fi
Photo credits: Karoliina Juhola
Ánnámáret Luohteilbmi:
Ánnámáret aka Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman: yoik
Sami Zimmermann (production, keyboards, wind instruments and programming)
Janne Lappalainen (string instruments)
Sara Puljula (percussion and double bass)
The album has been funded by the Sámi Parliament in Finland and the Saamicouncil.
Contact and more information:
Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman
anna@annamaret.fi
+358(0)40 540 5985
Watch live performance from Luohteilbmi-concert at Sibelius Academy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdVeNDdlsI8&t=192s
Photo credits: Karoliina Juhola