It’s not so grim up North.
So, with my ‘A Condensed History’ completed, I can now start to delve deeper into some of the key moments, albums, happenings & daily musings and discuss the many genres that have entered the canon of musicfan6160.
Not So Grim: Wardruna
Last night I was listening to Wardruna: a Norwegian band classified as ‘Dark Nordic Folk’ in The Guardian’s 16-02-2021 article. The article was an excellent signpost to this genre and Wardruna’s website provides more dark, brooding evocative videos to immerse yourself in.
Listening to Wardruna is like walking barefoot (as Einar Selvik does in the videos) through forests of pine trees, across rough, rugged land to stand by ice cold waterfalls in mountain ranges as the clouds scurry by, all in a thin shirt. Your Mother would have kittens – “you’ll catch your death”. We’re hardy folk, us Northerners (I’m from ‘up North’, in England originally, not Norway but I understand the sentiment).
Wardruna released a new album on the 22 January this year entitled “Kvitravn”. Kvitravn means White Raven in English.
The album (along with their trilogy: “Runaljod”) is available from their shop here
MYRKUR
MYRKUR is another project mentioned in the Guardian article, with the female vocals of Dane Amalie Bruun providing a different take in this genre. There’s lots to explore here with Ulvinde from the album “Mareridt” contrasting with Ella from the album “Folkesange”.
Metal Folk
Norway is well known for its association with Metal; specifically Black metal and some connotations that brings. However, I feel this exploration into more Nordic music extends my appreciation of music in this area. I have a fondness for Immortal and All Shall Fall and I feel this album, although a lot harsher in its approach, similarly captures the mountaintops and cold blasts of wind that eddy around them – once again, landscape-influenced.
I’m looking forward to obtaining Wardruna’s “Kvitravn” for those moments when the ‘Lockdown’ starts to gnaw at me and I want to feel the cool breeze of faraway open spaces…
It’s not so grim up North…
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