Tuulikki Bartosik
Thoughts on the album “Playscapes”
Swedish. Estonian. Minimalist. Composer. Layered. Neoclassical. Experimental. Transcendental. These are just a few of the words to describe Tuulikki Bartosik. Now throw in “accordion,” and if that doesn’t peak your interest, well, I feel sorry for you. Hers is a rare breed of composition. Part folk, part electronic, very Nordic and Baltic, and definitely unique. There is a reason she is internationally known and acclaimed, her work is breathtaking.
Listening to her latest album is synonymous with going into a trance, or mediating. Her previous releases explore larger melodies (Tempest in a Teapot - 2019), more natural recordings (Calling in Rogue - 2017), and feature more of a local folk flavor from her home regions (Fyra), but this one is much more inwarding facing - much more challenging.
To the untrained ear, the songs may sound repetitive, meandering or unfinished. You’re going to feel that way if you have let yourself become addicted to what you think music should sound like - that it should be all nice and neat, with killer riffs and payoffs, and sewn up nicely before the three minutes are up. But I would challenge you, dear reader and listener, to just slow down and let these beautiful pieces of art take you somewhere new.
“London" starts with what must be a train sound, and low drone in g minor. The i, iii, iv bass line serves as the foundation for the oscillating riffs from her accordion that mimic not only breathing and tension, but the frantic pace of one’s mind. As the track builds, a clever kick pattern and background vocals create a folk-like trance that borders on EDM. Then you get a nice counter melody from additional tones that remind me of Northumbrian small pipes. If you pay close attention to how the track builds, you can’t help but think of Phillip Glass . “Livland:Suusilm” is a beautiful arrangement of accordion and strings that makes you feel like your in the middle of bird sanctuary. The ambient wall of sound she creates is beyond the capabilities of most modern musicians today - it goes way beyond note choice - it’s a spiritual connection to her abilities as a composer. “Sundyberg” is a beautiful melody, almost a jig, but what makes this unique is the addition of reverb and delay to the accordion. I’ve never heard that before - lovely. And when the counter melody comes in on the back half of the track - it’s haunting and powerful. “Stockholm” starts almost like a modern pop song, then morphs towards something of a video game soundtrack, and finishes off in that post-modern Phillip Glass style. The mental journey it takes you on is lovely. The leadoff track, “Robertsfors,“ (which I’m guessing is named after a small municipality on the upper east coast of Sweden), encompasses just about everything you’re going to hear on this project - trance-link progressions, sparse vocals, an ethereal mix and an arrangement that will challenge what your ears are used to - in a good way. “Hibiki” is another beautiful display of accordion tones and oscillating melody, but this time it’s done in the lower register and in many respects could be deemed as border-line metal. Especially when the reverb and delay is added in. It also reminds me of the folk music and singing you hear from Mongolia. Can’t say I’ve heard anything like that before. Wonderful stuff.
I’ve been very lucky to have travelled to Tallinn, Tartu, and Stockholm, and I also spent a considerable amount of time studying Atonal and 20th Century Music while getting my undergraduate degree, so that might have a lot to do with my I like this project so much - I’d like to think that I get it from a theoretical level - but I also just enjoy the fact that it’s so damn different from so much processed garbage that is forced down our musical throats everyday. It’s absolutely refreshing to listen to something on this level of proficiency and composition that resonates with a separate spiritual plane than what we’re programmed to enjoy. Beautiful work Tuulikki, I hope to see it live someday!
Check it out now!