Skald by Wardruna
For years now Wardruna founder Einar Selvik has done acoustic concerts and lectures, performing Wardruna songs on his own, as well as creations made for the TV-show “Vikings” in an acoustic format. Now parts of this material has finally been recorded “live in studio” in Solslottet Studio in Bergen (Norway), and is set for release through By Norse Music on November 23rd 2018.
“Skald” takes the listener on a musical journey outside the massive soundscape that Wardruna is known for and into a simpler and more direct form, where voice, poetry and ancient instruments like Kravik-lyre, Taglharpa and Bukkehorn lead the way.
Einar Selvik comments:
“Skald” was recorded live in the studio with the intention of capturing the raw and uncompromising energy of a live performance rather than aiming for a flawless and polished expression. It sets out to give voice to the ancient craft that once lay at the heart of the Norse oral traditions, presented as it takes shape in the hands of a humble contemporary skald today.
All formats of the album contains an extensive booklet with all lyrics translated as well as a solid introduction to the Skald and Old Norse poetry written by the acclaimed Icelandic author and Old Norse philologist Bergsveinn Birgisson.
You can pre-order the physical formats here:
- Wardruna EU store: wardruna.aisamerch.de
- Wardruna NA store: wardruna.aisamerch.com
- By Norse Music EU store: bynorse.aisamerch.de
Tracklist
| 1. | Vardlokk | 2:08 |
| 2. | Skald | 2:02 |
| 3. | Ein sat hon uti | 4:07 |
| 4. | Voluspá (skaldic version) | 6:21 |
| 5. | Fehu (skaldic version) | 3:28 |
| 6. | Vindavla | 5:35 |
| 7. | Ormagardskvedi | 3:11 |
| 8. | Gravbakkjen | 2:41 |
| 9. | Sonatorrek | 15:52 |
| 10. | Helvegen (skaldic version) | 4:36 |
Credits
Skald was recorded, mixed and mastered by Iver Sandøy at Solslottet Studio in 2018.
Produced by Einar Selvik and Iver Sandøy.
Vocal, Kraviklyre, Taglharpa and Bukkehorn performed live in studio by Einar Selvik.
Backing vocals on Fehu by Iver Sandøy.
Translation of original content by Einar Selvik, Terry Gunnell and T.K.Y. Nikwie.
English translation of Voluspá taken from The Poetic Edda (Oxford World’s Classics, 2nd edition, 2014) by Carolyne Larrington, reprinted by kind permission of the translator.
English translation of Sonatorrek by Bernard Scudder from his translation of Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar in The Complete Sagas of Icelanders, including 49 tales (vol. 1), 1997. Publication courtesy of Sigrún Eiríksdóttir and Leifur Eiríksson Publishing.
Cover design by Øivind Myksvoll.
Front cover illustration by Jakub Vaniš / The Raven from the North. Runic illustration by Ræveðis.
License
All rights reserved.
Wardruna is a Norwegian music group dedicated to creating musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions. With the use of the oldest Nordic instruments and poetic metres, lyrics written in Norwegian, Norse and proto-Norse tongue, Wardruna sets out to give new voice to ancient and ever-relevant ideas and wisdom from the past.
The group was founded in 2002 by Einar Selvik.