Loituma is a folk quartet based in Finland; it was formed at the Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki, where members attended the folk music department. They follow Finnish vocal and kantele traditions, producing quartet arrangements for both Finnish harp and a cappella vocals, their music ranging from the rousing to the haunting. Their first album, a self-titled effort, was released on the Sibelius Academy's own label, later being issued by Northside in the United States in modified form as Things of Beauty. They were proclaimed 1997 Band of the Year at the 1997 Kaustinen Folkmusic Festival. ~ Steven McDonald