One great thing that has come out of folk music in the modern age is that it’s become more of an attitude. We live in a world where, arguably, an artist like RiverChild is just as “folk” as, say Angel Olsen—after all, this site right here has covered them both! So, when an artist comes along with a synth-brush, hushed affair along the lines of Sigur Ros or Mogwai like Helsinki-born and bred GEA, we are happy to jump at the occasion to offer them a spotlight. So long as their craftsmanship embraces a compelling story, it still bears the one common thread that all folk music has maintained for as long as anyone could possibly remember.
The Finnish artist takes cues from the latest Bon Iver in developing an offbeat, hypnotic soundscape for listeners to become ensnared in on her new single, “Pink”. The accommodating music video is equally as captivating in its tranquility as it depicts GEA quite literally burning away her past beside some stunning natural scenery. Most notably for new listeners of the artist may very well be how purely scintillating her voice alone is, and how easy it is to get lost in its lilting qualities on this record—much in the same way that one might in the aural landscapes often produced by Aurora when she sings.
All in all, this is a striking work indicative of a masterful developer of artpop, and one that we here at For Folk’s Sake are looking forward to hearing the whole of once GEA drops her upcoming album sometime this spring.
Words by: Jonathan Frahm