NEWS

24.03.2025

Sounds and Stories from Ruhnu Island releases second album "Echoes of the Sea"

The unique violin music of Ruhnu Swedes and the island’s historical stories have been compiled into the album Echoes of the Sea, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the great escape of Ruhnu Swedes when the island’s people could take nothing with them but memories.

"Today, the story of the remote Ruhnu Island and a small nation forced to leave their homes due to war resonates with almost everyone, both at home and abroad," says trio member Lee Taul. "Talking about war—or even worse, experiencing it firsthand—has become a looming part of everyday life for Europeans who have long enjoyed peace. Remembering is crucial when making decisions about the future, to keep the course firmly set towards freedom," adds the violinist.

The album’s arrangements are inspired by the nearly 400-year-old wooden church bells of Ruhnu, the seals that trouble fishermen, the forest, the wind, and the waves that crash onto the shore—sometimes gently, sometimes with a stormy force. It also draws from the island’s people, old hymn tunes, and the Ruhnu violin camp. "The band and the violin camp, now in its 12th year, grew out of a desire to play and share the historical heritage of this small island. Reviving a broken musical tradition has largely been driven by our enthusiasm and deep interest in Ruhnu’s musical identity," says Karoliina Kreintaal. "Fifteen years ago, the unique Ruhnu-Swedish repertoire was not widely known, but its current popularity is reflected in the fact that Ruhnu music will be performed at this year’s national folk music festival Iseoma," notes Karoliina.

Alongside the album, a new video single En liten fågel (A Little Bird) will be released. The song originally appeared in the 1854 hymn book under the title Den Signade Dag. "So far, Ruhnu Saare Lood ja Laulud concerts have been enriched by stories and folktales I have collected over the past ten years. In addition to the album Echoes of the Sea, we are also releasing a series of video stories edited by Ako Lehemets to paint an even more vivid picture of our artistic world for listeners. The videos will be gradually uploaded to our YouTube channel," says singer and storyteller Kairi Leivo.

The folk hymn was inspired by a 1938 recording of Elias Schönberg’s singing, made by Swedish Radio in Ruhnu. The video is dedicated to Ellen Jäger, who, along with other Ruhnu Swedes, fled the island with her family in 1944 at the age of four. Since Estonia regained its independence, she has spent every summer on her home island. Ellen’s smiling face on her veranda and her sharp sense of humor have brightened nearly every visit the band members have made to the island.

Echoes of the Sea was recorded by Rainer Koik at Kuremäe Farm near Halliste, at the Kreintaal family home, and at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre studio. The album design was created by Kärt Rumvolt.

The band will next perform at Tallinn Music Week on the Viljandi Folk Music Festival stage. A concert featuring the new album’s music and video material will take place at Club of Different Rooms on April 5th at 8:45 pm.

Listen to the album on Spotify
The album will also be released on a vinyl on April, 5th

Ruhnu Saare Lood ja Laulud began as a joint effort by musicians to organize violin camps on the island. Historically, Ruhnu was known for its skilled fiddlers. The logical next step after the camps was the formation of the band, which gave its first concerts in 2019, the same year they released their debut album

28.02.2025

The video singel "Springvals& Nänanana" was published on February, 28th 2025 in Youtube and Facebook and Spotify!
This is the first tune and story on our new album "Echoes of the Sea".
It was filmed in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and in Kassisaba, Tallinn in the summer of 2024. Archival excerpts taken from ethnographic film “Ruhno” by Theodor Saar (1931).
Kairi Leivo - storytelling, vocals
Karoliina Kreintaal - fiddle, vocals
Lee Taul - fiddle, vocals

Dancers: Leanne Barbo, Ermo Hüüdma
Cinematographer & video editing: Ako Lehemets
Recording, mix and master: Rainer Koik

Supporters: Eesti Kultuurkapital, Estonian Authors Union
Many thanks to: Ellen Jäger, Triinu and Hannu Lamp, Marie Soosaar-Virta, Joosep Lauk, Estonian Music and Theatre Academy, Estonian National Archive, Film Archive.

Our first singel from our new album "Echoes of the Sea", is dedicated to the memory of 80 years of Great Escape. "Echoes" is our version of an old folk choral "Hela världen klagar sig", preceded by the imitation of the bells of the old wooden church of Ruhnu.
The video was filmed by Baran Ismail Ulas and his team and edited by Ako Lehemets. We are very grateful to the video team and all helpers! It has been a long journey and we are very happy that we can present this song.

Echoes / Kajad
Director: Baran Ismail Ulas
Cinematographer: Do Hyun Kang
Drone operator: Yigit Ogul Gokoglu
Sound recordist: Batikan Olcucu
Lighting: Do Hyun Kang & Batikan Elcici
Video editor: Ako Lehemets
Sound and mastering: Rainer Koik
Producers: Lee Taul, Karoliina Kreintaal Kairi Leivo.
The spoken word is from a book first published in 1847 by Fredric Ekman.
Supporters: Estonian Culture Foundation, Estonian Authors Society.

Thank You: All people of Ruhnu, the municipality of Ruhnu, AS Tuuleliinid,  Sänni Noormets, Joosep Lauk, Margus Meola, Kaarel Lauk, Ellen Jäger, Jüri Keskpaik, Andres ja Ruth Keskpaik, Mait Mikelsaar.