Artist: Wardruna
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This collaborative debut from Sweden's Råd Kjetil & the Loving Eye of God and Orchestra Senza Testa is quite the enigmatic release given its unique perspective on the ambient genre. It's as if the creepy, digitized sounds of the early John Carpenter soundtracks found themselves mixed up with the earthy, natural sounds of Norway's Wardruna and somehow wound up as an otherworldly, out-of-body sonic experience. It's most evident on the first of the two tracks, "Flarkmyr'n" while second and final track "Orrvin över Nattmyrbäcken" offers a bleaker vision within the same realm. That said, the overall vibe of "Vinlinden" is one of an epic journey across vast expanses, where the natural sounds seem more implied rather than at the forefront of the compositions. This will appeal to anyone who likes to coil into their own headspace in order to travel to far off lands. Dark, ethereal ambience as nature wraps itself around the synthetic. An off-kilter bliss, almost.
- John Norby
9
The Goner is most definitely a grower! The first listen to any of Daniel Westerlund's releases always has the same result: it's always pleasurable with immediate effect; it always leaves a sort of eerie quirkiness that has you wondering what in the hell is going on in Westerlund's mind; and it always reassures you that the next few times the record gets a spin it's only going to get better. "Behold a new traveler" continues this particular aspect of The Goner's listening experience as unconventional vocals meet atmospheric, eccentric musical passages that interweave to create a truly captivating and addictive sound. The album's strongest moments are found on "Within the hour", one of the more uplifting sections of the recording, albeit in an oblique sort of way, and closing track "En route" with its drone-meets-grunge progression toward some pseudo-insanity. The production on "Behold a new traveler" is somewhat repressed, yet it fits The Goner's style perfectly. Anything brighter would definitely be to the detriment of the music and it's this choice of sonic output that really elevates the album to such high regard. Musically, he's hard to pin down. Think Rusted Root meets Wardruna meets Michael Stipe-gone-Cajun and you're pretty close to what Westerlund manages to create in his music. And the best thing about this album? The fact that even though it already sounds amazing, I know it's only going to get better! A tall order indeed, but The Goner has hit the nail firmly on the head.
- John Norby
Norwegian webzine Imhotep interviews Kvitrafn of the great Norwegian pagan-folk act Wardruna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TztOfvJyo70
Blabbermouth reports that Gaahl (Wardruna, ex-Gorgoroth) was named "Homosexual of the Year" at the Bergen Gay Galla: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=134544
I think it's great that he's speaking out so much about intolerance within the metal community -- it's long overdue.
Djerv, the new band from ex-Animal Alpha vocalist Agnete Kjølsrud (also featuring Erlend Gjerde of Stonegard/Wardruna and Stian Kårstad of Trelldom), are finally streaming a few demo tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/djervmusic
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU, special year-end top 10 edition:
01. TALK 1
02. Tyrant - The rebirth (reclaim the flame)
03. C.Aarmé - Dustin
04. Pintandwefall - Bird of the birds
05. Ironville - Sweet perfume
06. Dear Euphoria - Tell me
07. TALK 2
08. [ingenting] - Halleluja!
09. Agent Side Grinder - Die to live
10. Pistol Disco - Beat of the tune
11. TALK 3
12. The Bear Quartet - Carry your weight (Strange Maps remix)
13. The Fine Arts Showcase - Looking for your love
14. Wardruna - Dagr
15. TALK 4
16. Björn Kleinhenz - Fårö
17. Samuraj Cities - Spoonful of talk
18. David Åhlén - Stir our hearts
19. TALK 5
20. Elmo - Darkness falls
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. TALK 1
02. Kommun - I don't say anything
03. On Volcano - Out of sight
04. Turboweekend - Something or nothing
05. TALK 2
06. The Idle Hands - Hearts
07. Thåström - Linnéa
08. Fronda - Mitt allt
09. TALK 3
10. We Are the Storm - A song for our city
11. High Hats - The end
12. Wardruna - Kauna
13. Halph - New money
14. The Scrags - TV messed up mind
15. TALK 4
16. They Live - Magic glasses
17. Ison & Fille - Jag skratter idag
18. Nitad - Rädslan
19. TALK 5
20. Elmo - Shine down on us
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. Lassus - Into another
02. TALK 1
03. Björn Kleinhenz - Black water
04. The Rollstons - The art of squandering time
05. Dear Euphoria - Pop pills
06. TALK 2
07. Samtidigt Som - Constant in motion
08. Obscure - Massacre
09. The Sweptways - Time of the season (ft. Pelle Almqvist)
10. Commando M. Pigg - Mot stjärnorna
11. TALK 3
12. Samuraj Cities - Mixed up record collections
13. Lowood - It's a mess
14. Wardruna - Bjarkan
15. TALK 4
16. Two White Horses - Good times are gone forever
17. Breach - Lost crew
18. Kristofer Åström - Twentyseven
19. The Fine Arts Showcase - London, my town
20. TALK 5
21. The Bear Quartet - Old friends
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
Antenna interviews Wardruna mainman Kvitrafn: http://www.antenna.nu/?p=929
I agree, that album is a definite year-end contender.
Wardruna is a near-perfect combination of nearly every one of my musical obsessions. Scandinavian, obviously. Dark and foreboding? Most definitely. Strong elements of traditional folk? Oh hell yes. And how about a well-defined and pronounced spiritual component? Yup. The only quality I think it might be lacking from my shortlist would be a certain level of emotional purity and singlemindedness, but that often doesn't meld well with the spiritual, so I let it slide. Otherwise, this is definitely one of my favorite new releases of 2009 by a longshot. Listeners expecting the peppy polka-folk of groups like Detektivbyrån or Katzenjammer might be put off at first by the overwhelmingly dark and primitive atmosphere, but trust me - it's well worth it. Reach further back, connect with your ancient heathen roots!
For more on Wardruna and their concept, read this: [click here]
Wardruna - Algir - Togntale
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. Franke - Exil riktas inåt
02. TALK
03. Cut City - Ulyssian widow
04. Montt Mardié - Names not forgotten
05. Strayfolk - I thought I had it down
06. TALK
07. Halph - New money
08. Kaizers Orchestra - Kontroll på kontinentet
09. Wardruna - Kauna
10. TALK
11. Dieter Schöön - Mary Jane
12. Holiday For Strings - Two of you
13. Menfolk - One is all
14. Lama - Raha
15. TALK
16. Bitch Boys - Sighsten H.
17. Regina - Saanko jäädä yöksi
18. Entombed - Parasight
19. Gåte - Snåle mi jente
20. TALK
21. Dyno - Emotional
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. C.Aarmé - M.P.P.
02. TALK 1
03. Existensminimum - Fuglesang
04. The Animation - Overboard
05. Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen
06. TALK 2
07. AlabamicA - You can't save the world
08. Franke - Skinnad
09. October Falls - III
10. TALK 3
11. Suburban Kids with Biblical Names - 1999
12. Wolfbrigade - Barren dreams
13. Viisikko - Vapaus valita
14. Culkin - Payperfist
15. TALK 4
16. Lowood - Crash
17. Cut City - Departure in particular
18. Wardruna - Dagr
19. Laakso - In my blood
20. TALK 5
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
Check out footage of Norwegian folk act/Gorgoroth sideproject Wardruna performing live on Norwegian TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HMl81zRp4E&fmt=18
Stream the band's new album at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/wardruna
VERY recommended!
Råd Kjetil Senza Testa
The Goner
