Wed, 9pm
Le Rideau Theatre Cafe
Finnish folk music might sound about as accessible as a Nasa rocket manual printed in Swahili, but prick up your ears and you could be in for a genuine discovery.
Helsinki-based singer/songwriter Islaja has created ripples well beyond Scandinavia with her unique, dreamy music that draws comparisons with impish Icelandic star Bjork.
They do share a quirky lyricism, pixie-like vocal style and a slightly kooky nature, but the similarities end there. Islaja - her real name is Merja Kokkonen - has no pop pretensions and her psychedelic compositions feature a kaleidoscope of instruments played by herself and recorded in the frigid tranquility of her home studio.
Emerging from the strong Finnish free-folk movement, Islaja is a member of three bands - including the world renowned Avarus - but she has shone brightest on her own and has three albums of eerie beauty to her name.
