EIHWAR : "Hugrheim"

 

The Nordic folk duo Eihwar is oddly from France. They have a somewhat poppier take on a style brought to larger audiences by the likes of Wardruna and Heilung. The first two songs carry a great deal of frolic in how the melodies move. For some reason, they are connecting this to electronic music/ dance music, and maybe the scene in France has changed, but a song like "Ein" feels like neo-folk music, just with more emphasis on the percussive elements. The vocals are also very polished and do not have the raw throat quality of singing heard in many of the more pagan minded folk music, with a more liberal use of overdubs. 

Some songs are more like interludes than actual songs, mainly building mood in a cinematic manner. For the purpose of this review, I am not going to count those. The title track has a more deliberate tribal drum, though the melody sounds almost more like Celtic folk. More droning and ritualistic than hooky. The song after this is catchier and works off a more pop-oriented formula, even with the more Viking pulse carried through the background.  "Heil Odinn" has a lighter touch to the melody to counterbalance the more pounding drums. 

"Omenotharena" is the first song that has anything close to a dance beat or electronics. The last song is a more ballad-like version of "Berserkr" which was used as a memorial, so it is more introspective and subdued. Overall, I like what is going on here as they do more service to songs than just getting all the ancient sounds right. I will give it a 9 and see how it grows on me. 

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Wardruna : "Birna"

Somehow, this album came out and got filed into the I need to hunt it down on the internet path for so long it was forgotten about til now. Six albums into their career, Norway's primal folk bards are still bringing an increasingly cinematic conjuring of otherworldly eons past. It is weird how they are the biggest band making this kind of music. Also, even stranger is how they can headline festivals. The title track is not as grandiose as how they open the album, and it feels more reflective, with the female vocals providing a more ethereal touch. It is very much a wintery sound as should be expected from the region where the music is being made. It feels like they are getting ready to be hit by the worst storm in over a hundred years and are invoking the ghosts of their ancestors.

There is a more celebratory tone to "Ljos til Jord".  Then drops down to a more solemn mood with the lonely horn blast leading into "Dvaledraumar" which incorporates some weird ambient sounds that feel less organic. So, for all the ancient instruments, you would be amiss to think there were not some studio tricks in play at times. It's a more minimalist arrangement that allows you to hear how Einar's voice has grown stronger over the years. The arrangement feels like it should be more of an interlude, yet they sprawl it out for over 15 minutes without the climax you expect. 

I suppose 'Jord Til Ljos" is the darker side counterpoint to "Ljos Til Jord it holds a steamier sizzle to how it undulates. By the time I get to "Himindotter" the songs are starting to fade into a background soundtrack, so I have to go back and give another listen. There is both an epic and a celebratory mood to how this one unfurls. The song after this is mroe stripped down. It feels more like a folk song.'Skuggehesten"  has the Viking gallop you want from these guys, that sounds like it is about to kick off a piece of historical fiction. There is a darker undercurrent to it, but things take a darker turn with 'Tretale' though it does progress into a more Celtic feeling frolic. They close the album with a more ritualistic piece. It works off a hypnotic chant. It takes you on a journey with varied dynamics while riding the same pulse. This album is impressive, and they have perfected what they do. I will give it a 

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DANHEIM : "Heimferd"

This Danish project might sound familiar, as their music was featured on the show "Vikings".  Denmark is closer to the source material than if this were some culturally appropriating Americans. The first track is more solemn, with a feeling of longing brought to life by the hand pipes. Decent music to drink your coffee to as the fall brings a chill in the air. Vocals come in on the second song. If you are playing Dungeons & Dragons or like to imagine you're preparing for battle when you go to the gym, then it might be inspiring. It's a little darker than the first song. 

These albums are much like soundtracks in the sense that they are about capturing a mood more than being songs that stand on their own to feet. Once you start listening to an album like this, it can fade into the background. Even headliners like Wardruna are susceptible to this. There is more of a hypnotic groove to "Haukadalur", however, due to the atmospheric nature of what they do, which is prone to droning, the title track feels like it is more hypnotic tribal jam out of the previous song.  

Sonically, it benefits him to not be limited to just using traditional folk instrumentation, as he is allowed a wider range of production effects to create some interesting sounds. Some of these feel more like cinematic backdrops, which are the intro for the actual songs. "Kominn Dagr" has vocals that give it more more alluring feel. But it's the beat of "Runmykr" that makes it feel more like a song. This sense of movement keeps it from falling into the same droning trap that begins to give the songs a uniform feel.

The feeling of a brooding storm rolling in over the North Sea is summoned on "Stormdans".  This carries a folk dance feel with it to contrast the more foreboding undercurrent. Then they fall back on moments like "Valvejen" that blend into the previous song and feel like an extension of its drone. The rest of the album begins to drift in this direction, working best when vocals are there to help break things up. A chorus of voices chimes in for what sound like a majestic requiem to make for one of the album's strongest moments. I will give this one a 9 as it's a solid effort that sounds great and sets the intended mood even if it's hypnotic sways sometimes lull you into a faraway land with less focus on songwriting.This album drops Halloween on Season of Mist.  

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