Kamala Kamele began as a solo project by Aino Ruotanen, which expanded into a duo with percussionist Minna Koskenlahti in 2026. The group weaves together the dark ballads of Finnish folk tradition, melodic percussion, and the distinctive sound of the kamele n’goni. The result is a subl yet intense whole, where grim stories come to life—at times even in a humorous way.

The kamele n’goni, “the young man’s harp,” is a West African pentatonic instrument. Its soft, hypnotic tone intertwines with the wild tales of ballads and folk songs, creating a unique contrast: meditative riffs carry stories of dreadful fates and eerie narratives. Koskenlahti’s melodic approach to percussion deepens the overall sound, producing minimalist, intense, and hypnotic textures.

The idea was born when Ruotanen studied kamele n’goni playing in Ghana. Riffs began to flow under her fingers, providing new backdrops for Finnish songs and stories. This became Kamala Kamele—a journey into the deep waters of Finnish folklore through the soundscape of West Africa.