Slovenian trio Širom has been praised by The Guardian, which ranked their fifth album, In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper, as the second-best folk album of the year and its folk album of the month in October. The newspaper called it “a rollercoaster journey showing the potential of traditional instruments to make mayhem,” highlighting the band’s innovative mix of tradition and global influences.
The album features seven tracks with mystical titles, including Curls Upon the Neck, Ribs Upon the Mountain and No One’s Footsteps Deep in the Beat of a Butterfly’s Wings, blending fiddle harmonies, bluegrass, and exotic instruments like the Persian gheychak, Mongolian morin khuur, and West African xylophones.
The Guardian described the result as “intense, shining soundworlds” and “a vortex of time travel.”
Formed a decade ago, Širom—comprising Iztok Koren, Ana Kravanja, and Samo Kutin—calls its music “imaginary folk,” combining diverse musical traditions and creative experimentation. All three members are also active in other music projects, including ŠKM Banda, Hexenbrutal, and Šalter Ensemble.
