Folque sounds like a bridge between the medieval past and the electric present. Their music is anchored by the bright, piercing clarity of the fiddle and mandolin, but it is given a muscular backbone by 1970s rock instrumentation. The result is a sound that feels both ancient and vital, capturing the rugged beauty of the Norwegian landscape through a lens of psychedelic folk-rock.
What makes them distinctive is their ability to translate the 'Fairport Convention' or 'Steeleye Span' template into a specifically Scandinavian vernacular. While their British peers were mining the Child Ballads, Folque was digging into Norse poems and medieval dance music, replacing the Hardanger fiddle with a more aggressive, rock-oriented ensemble that never loses its acoustic soul.
Start with 'Vardøger' to hear the band at their peak. It perfectly balances their technical instrumental prowess with the enchanting, clear-toned vocals that define their most celebrated era. It is the definitive document of Norwegian folk-rock.
Folque is a Norwegian folk rock band founded in 1973 by Morten Bing, Jørn Jensen, Eilif Amundsen, Lisa Helljesen, Espen Løvstad, Trond Øverland, and Trond Villa. In 1972 a subset of the band was initially named «Brød & Vin» (Bread & wine), they changed the name to Folque in the spring of 1973 after adding members and traditional instruments to the ensemble. The band was dissolved in 1984, but reunited in 1994 and in 2004 for playing live. Folque is re-established in 2014 with Lisa Helljesen as lead singer. Their musical style is linked to Malicorne in France and to Steeleye Span in the UK. Most of the discography is difficult to find, as only the first three albums were re-released on CD.
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