Väsen

Väsen is the Swedish Grammy-winning duo made up of Mikael Marin and Olov Johansson. After 37 years of interaction and touring, Marin and Johansson have refined their sound and their stage presence to be entirely unique. With their playful and perfect interplay, they seem to defy the laws of physics in what appears to be a telepathic communication.

The music is intense and full of humour. The pair create their very own musical language, which is as modern as it is ancient. With the foundation firmly rooted in the traditional music of Uppland, they have always looked curiously at new musical goals.

Marin and Johansson have played together since 1983 when they met at one of Sweden’s largest folk music festivals, Oktoberstämman. They discovered they had a common repertoire and a similar way of playing. It turned out that Marin had learned from Ivar Tallroth in Uppsala and Johansson had learned from Tallroth’s brother, Curt Tallroth, in Harbo. 

In 1985, Marin and Johansson started playing intensively together and released their first recording, Det rister i Örat. Now, they go on adventures with other storied musicians and traditional tunes, all the while continuing to break new ground. They perform on a variety of stringed instruments, including a three-rowed nyckelharpa (the modern standard of the traditional Swedish keyed fiddle), silverbasharpa (a traditional type of nyckelharpa that translates to “silver base harp”), oktavharpa (a cello-pitched nyckelharpa), violoncello da spalla (a small, five-string instrument that translates to “cello of the shoulder”), and a blue electric viola.

Marin is an acclaimed Swedish musician and composer who has earned wide recognition for his virtuosic playing, inventive arrangements, and his ability to blend traditional folk roots with modern sensibilities. Starting out on the violin, Marin’s passion for exploring deeper and more resonant tones led him to the viola, bass viola, and violoncello da spalla, which became his signature instruments. He’s heavily inspired by Sweden’s rich traditional music heritage.

Johansson is widely regarded as Sweden’s greatest craftsman on the nyckelharpa. With his brilliant solo playing and as a part of Väsen, he has been largely responsible for the explosion of nyckelharpa playing in Sweden. He actively works to pass on his musical heritage, and has become a role model for many young nyckelharpa players.