Hungarian ensemble Vasmalom formed in the early 80’s, but their debut album didn’t come out until 1989. That first album has just been reissued on Periferic, along with the group’s second and third disks. Although differences exist in lineup, instrumentation, and arrangement among the three CDs, the similarities outweigh the relatively minor differences and these three albums can be thought of as all going together.
The music here can accurately be characterized as ‘Hungarian folk’, but only seven of the twenty-nine tracks on these CDs are based on traditional melodies. Rather, the majority are original compositions written in the style of different types of folksong. This includes frenzied peasant dances (such as “Thi-Dli-Dli-Dli Dli-Dli-Dli-Dliii” and “Ludasim, Pjatásim!”), mournful love songs and laments (à la “Gyere Velem Katonának…” and “Testvér…”), and religious chants (e.g. “Add Fel Isten Azt a Napot…”). Vasmalom also draws upon the musical traditions of Hungary’s Gypsies and other ethnic minorities in tunes like “Bolgár Cigány Horo” and “A Cimbalos Moldavi”. With so many different types of folk traditions being used, there is ample variety for the listener’s ear and things never get too repetitive. Moreover, the band regularly mixes up its instrumental palette, so that even songs of the same type never sound too similar. On one track, fiddles and cimbalom (Hungarian mandolin) may be the lead instruments, while the next may feature the gorgeous voice of singer Éva Molnár backed only by duda (Hungarian bagpipes) or tapan (an exotic sounding Czech flute). There are even a few tunes on which non-folk instruments are featured, such as the soprano sax lines in “Villarsarokk” and the harmonica solo in “Keresztutak”.
Although Vasmalom is primarily a folk band, they do not adhere rigidly to traditional forms or stylings. A jazzy groove often colors the double-bass playing of both László Nemessányi (1st album) and Tibor Csuhaj-Barna (2nd and 3rd albums). The flautists (three different ones on the three albums) play with an aggressive, breathy tone reminiscent of Ian Anderson. Similar observations could be made, really, about all of the musicians here— they play their instruments precisely and skillfully, but with a raw energy more typical of rock than of folk. The arrangements, furthermore, leave more room for individual improvisation than is typical in folk music— especially the all-instrumental dance tunes, which often serve as occasions for soloing.
Still, with the exception of the experimental eight-minute “Porondos Víz.…” (from the third album), there’s no mistaking that this is folk music— and not folk-rock, prog-folk, or the like. Perhaps the best comparison might be to Hungary’s own Kolinda, although it wouldn’t be too far off the mark to say that Vasmalom does the same sorts of things for Magyar music that Northside bands like Väsen and Groupa do for Swedish folk. Personally, my favorite of the three is the first, but that’s just a matter of taste. If you have any interest at all in Hungarian folk— you really can’t go wrong with any of these. Very highly recommended.

Jim Chokey