“Miessemearkumat” (2016) – Ulla Pirttijärvi and Ulda * CD: Roijk * Label: Tuupa
The Sámi singer Ulla Pirttijärvi, based in Finland, began her recording career with the unison-voiced trio Angelin Tytöt (the girls from Angeli) and now performs with a group called Ulda. This track from their Roijk album combines her melodic joik singing (traditional Sámi chanting) with the organic instrumentation and grooves that make the whole thing special. She’s never had a band that complemented her so well before now. “Miessemearkumat” translates to “reindeer calf marking,” with the lyrics focusing on the July ritual of marking the ears of new calves with ancient family symbols before setting them loose to graze.