The Nordic Sound

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In this monumental installment of the Nordic Sound, Jameson is joined by Mari Boine to reflect on her childhood, the rise and influence of her career through Gula Gula, how she has come to be an influential icon to so many around the world, and her place as a powerful voice for Sámi culture since the 1980s. 

Along the way, Mari explains what Joik means to her and how it relates to her belief that music has an ineffable power to remind us of our elemental humanity, while also reflecting on how proud she is of the new wave of Sámi poets, artists, and musicians today. To conclude, we discuss Mari’s perspective on the cultural exchange between Nordic and Sámi music, and the indisputable influence Sámi music tradition, and Mari’s music specifically, continues to have on the new Nordic and global “Viking” music scene. In this summary, I’d be remiss to ignore the touching and raw conversation Mari sparks about her struggle with, and for, her identity and heritage throughout her career.

On a personal note from Jameson: this conversation has singularly made the years of effort put into the Nordic Sound project my most meaningful endeavor as a musicologist. My sincerest gratitude to Mari for giving me her time amidst her tour, and to ByNorse for organizing this special interview. I could end the project here and feel like I’ve done something worthwhile… but we all know I’m taking this thing to the grave.

I hope you enjoy this conversation with the qu– an icon of Nordic music.

0:00 Intro
0:47 Signing with ByNorse
4:05 Mari’s Childhood
8:55 What is Joik?
13:29 Into the Music Industry
17:18 Learning Sámi History in College
18:35 Gula Gula and Sámi Heritage
23:11 The Reception of Gula Gula
27:40 Music as Catharsis
29:19 A Reluctant Leader
36:20 Alva
40:46 Sámi Issues and Environmentalism
49:37 Sámi Arts and Culture Today
54:25 Misconceptions about Sámi Music
56:52 Sámi Influence on New Nordic Music (Wardruna, etc.)

The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:
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You too can support the project at patreon.com/nordicsound

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Jonas Lorentzen returns to the Nordic Sound to discuss what Nebala's been up to since last time we met. In this conversation, we have a retrospective on the debut album, and where Jonas wants to take Nebala's sound and vision from there. We also discuss singing as community and Jonas' singing workshops, ponder why we don't sing as much as we used to, and of course, talk about the kickstarter that will be helping Nebala's next album now that Jonas has gone Indie. Oh, and would it be a Jonas episode if we didn't contend with questions of cultural appropriation?

0:00 Intro
1:30 Retrospective on Nebala's debut album
12:55 Working on new Nebala material
18:50 The craft of an album
24:16 Singing as Community
30:00 Why don't we sing anymore?
42:40 The future of Nebala and working with Christopher Juul
48:20 Kickstarter
1:00:25 Fire in the Mountains
1:00:10 Jonas contends with Cultural Appropriation

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(#35 with Rúnahild is only available on Youtube due to unfortunate audio issues on my end)

Today I am joined once again by Nils Edström, the man behind Hindarfjäll perhaps best known for his performance of My Mother Told Me with Peter Franzén from the Vikings television series. I’ve had Nils on before, but now he is back to talk about his latest album Seden which released almost a month ago to the day. 

In this interview, Nils talks about his trips to Italy and his experience at this year’s Midgardsblot before we turn the conversation to his origins in the pagan/viking music genre. As is tradition, black metal plays a part in introducing Nils to the old ways, though he himself is not the most dedicated listener of black metal, showing us yet again that the ideology of black metal seems to transcend the music itself. Nils takes us through his nature walks as a kid with his friends as well as his walks with his grandmother learning the names of the trees, where from a young age Nils had an inclination towards animistic questions and perspectives. 

He was brought to this genre by the way of Wardruna, Månegarm, and Anders Hagberg, which gave him a more suitable expression for his love of nature, mythology, and older ways. In talking about his growth through the years leading up to Seden, Nils and Jameson talk about the importance of being self-critical (in a healthy amount) to grow as a musician, as well as the experiences he’s had writing and making the music of Seden. We talk about that pesky “is this folk music” question, as well as conflicts of theory and intuition when it comes to writing music. We then spend a long time diving into the mythology of Seden in which Nils takes us through his perspectives on things like Odin, Yggdrasil, Asatru, and thanks to a misunderstanding on Jameson’s part (it keeps him humble): Seidr vs Seden and reconstructionists.

Thank you for coming back on the podcast, Nils, and congratulations on a stellar album.

0:00 Intro

2:57 Midgardsblot

4:20 Performing with Peter Franzén

5:45 Filling in for Gåte

7:21 How Nils got into Pagan folk music

10:21 Nature walks with Nils

12:30 Early Hindarfjäll inspirations

15:17 The rise of Nordic Animism

18:55 The Black Metal influence

20:35 Hindarfjäll’s instrumentation

23:40 The Folk Music Question

30:20 Seden

37:00 The harmonies of Hindarfjäll

41:38 The mythology of Seden

1:04:32 The songs of Seden

1:08:58 Seden restrospective

1:15:17 What’s next?

1:20:02 Nils turns to Scuzzlebutt

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In this very special Nordic Sound Channel interview, I sit down with Espen Winther of Eldrim for an exclusive early look at the new record "Daudrastev" as we preview and discuss each track before the album releases. 

Espen has long been a vocal supporter of the channel, and it's truly been an honor to do this special collaboration in anticipation for both the new album release and the return to Midgardsblot. Cheers Espen, and thank you for trusting the channel with this cool opportunity to do something a little bit different. 

So sit back, relax, and let Espen take us through not only his story, but the story of Eldrim's new record "Daudrastev".

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In Nordein's newest offering, "Reisa", we're given a three-course meal teasing some new and old ideas to expect from the project in the future, taking us from the world of early 2000s "celtic" folk world of into a more contemporary dark folk sound by the EP's end. A short review for a short EP - let's talk about it!

"Nordein, fronted by Norwegian musician and producer Jørn Øyhus, blends Nordic folk with rich, evocative sounds. Known for his work with Nordjevel, Varde, and Byrdi, Jørn brings a unique touch to Nordein’s three albums and new EP, Reisa. This latest release merges traditional and modern elements, capturing the essence of nature's rebirth.

Nordein have for the past years been the main focus, with its three full length albums plus a handful of singles. Reisa is the new EP, hinting both backwards and forward in time musically, hailing back to the debut Nordariket, as well as pointing to new soundscapes. Spring is a journey on its own, beginning with melancholic Irish bouzouki in the forest accompanied by a owl (own night time recording). The track evolves beautifully from an introspective dark folk mood into a triumphant blooming ritual of spring, with sounds of flutes, choirs, viking drums and strings. Listening to the track is like going from a misty and gloomy early dawn, through full blown sunny mid-day and into the night. Spring is the celebration of nature coming back to life after the harsh northern winter, and encapsulates the very essence of growing, blooming and thriving, though with thoughtful undertones all the way."

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One of my favorite groups in the Nordic folk scene today is finally back, joined by the wonderful Norwegian hardanger fiddler Gura Kvifte Neisheim for the new maritime record "Kystnaert"

This has been my most anticipated album of the summer, and for good reason. I fell deeply in love with this group back in 2016 with their incredible "The Moon We Watch Is the Same" due to the fresh, exciting, and organic nature of their sound and original instrumentation which continued through "Neighbourhood" and "Sofa Songs".

Kystnaert has delivered in every way, and I really hope you all give this album a spin to experience the many things to love about the Floating Sofa Quartet.

"Revived coastal music from Norway, Sweden, Denmark & Finland.
For almost a decade Floating Sofa Quartet (FSQ) has been working across borders with their own take on Nordic folk music – shedding light on the shared cultural heritage of the Nordic countries and creating music that is both preserving and renewing their tradition(s).

Now FSQ joins forces with the renowned Norwegian fiddler Guro Kvifte Nesheim to take a plunge into the kindred musical traditions of the coastal regions of Norway, Sweden, Denmark & Finland!

Commissioned by the Farsund Folk Festival the project Kystnært (near the coast) is centered around the regional folk music of Agder in sourthern Norway – a tradition that has a clear kinship to the music of its neighbouring countries. With Agder as a starting point Kystnært explores the similarities between an assortment of musical bits and pieces from the Nordic coastal regions, fusing them all into a vivid contemporary concert experience."

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Let's dive into the debut album from a daring new folk/jazz quartet from Sweden.

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A new kind of album review on the Nordic Sound Channel. And what better way to return to the grind than with a new release from one of my favorite Nordic singers, Eivør.

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"Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotland and southeast of Iceland, with a total population of about 50,000, the climate is “full of contrasts—very dark, heavy winters and bright summers.” Growing up in a small village there, of about 400 people, it’s those contrasts that have inspired Eivør’s music throughout her career.

Often considered to be one of the most prolific and unique Nordic artists of her generation, Eivør has released 11 studio albums to date, crossing musical genres and always pushing the envelope of the expected. Awarded with the Nordic Council Music Price in 2021, Eivør’s musical journey continues to fascinate and has seen her perform across the globe; from Europe’s biggest festival stages to providing the soundtrack to Netflix’s hit series The Last Kingdom and the video game God of War: Ragnarök.

Her forthcoming new album ENN ties back to Eivør’s Nordic roots. Most of the lyrics, sung entirely in Faroese, were penned in collaboration with the Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Eivør calls the lyrics to the title track especially “hardcore.” The song is about war—“the wars that are going on in the world especially lately, but that have always been going on,” Eivør says, “and how to find a glimpse of light in this overwhelming darkness.” The guttural penultimate track, “Upp Úr Øskuni,” is a thrilling outlier mixing growling beatboxing with visceral throat singing (it’s certainly Eivør’s most metal moment).

ENN stands out among Eivør’s discography as a bold new venture. Her debut for Season of Mist, the album leans heavier into dark electronics. Her new Prophet-5 synthesizer hardly made it out of the box before she keyed up “Hugsi Bert Um Teg”, a swooning bit of dream-pop that dances like the colors of the milky way.

On a grand scale, ENN follows a cosmic arc. The title track is a symphonic, war-torn space odyssey. But the album also dwells on more earthly concerns. Lead single “Jardartra” is told from the perspective of a wounded mother earth, who calls to us with a steadily thumping bassline that’s as dark and warm as our planet’s molten core. “Come lie down in my blue embrace”, Eivør sings, reaching into her operatic register, as if beckoning us toward the light.

On ENN, Eivør moves heaven and earth."

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Join me in welcoming Jonathan Barendsma of Gealdyr, a rising star in the dark folk scene. In this conversation, Jonathan and I discuss the importance of music and art as escape and vicarious living for those in difficult situations, a mutual love of soundtracks, and dancing the line between Nordic and Celtic soundworlds.

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