The Nordic Sound

Send us a textOver the course of his career, Olav Mjelva has become something of a face of the Hardanger Fiddle, with his fiddle being heard in settings such as Rings of Power, God of War: Ragnarök, and Marvel’s Loki. As well as being featured in over 60 studio projects, he is also well known in the Scandifolk scene for his work with Sver, the Nordic Fiddlers Bloc, Rydvall/Mjelva, and the Lodestar Trio. After collaborating with Einar Selvik and Ivar Bjornson for Skuggsjá, Olav has returned to sign with ByNorse for his project Afargang, whose debut album “Andvake” is looking to reimagine what Folk Metal can be. I hope you enjoy this milestone episode of the Nordic Sound, in which Olav and I discuss his upbringing as a fiddler from Røros, his love of black metal, and how his upcoming album Andvake blends these two worlds, and as always, taking little detours along the way.Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:12 Sver in the States4:38 Origin Stories10:11 Learning the Hardanger Fiddle13:00 Becoming a Studio Musician18:04 Skuggsjá23:02 Afargang37:25 Black Metal as a Folk Musician45:11 The Nordic Sound48:29 Waiting for Andvake52:22 ByNorse56:24 Norway’s Folk Music boomSupport the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textCelebrating their 25th anniversary this year, Frigg have long established themselves as one of the leading string bands in Nordic folk. A small army of six musicians, what has always astounded me about the band is how effectively they use their numbers to their fullest capabilities, often times in their recordings sounding like there’s a full orchestra at their disposal. Their attention to orchestration and texture is second-to-none, and even when all three fiddles are chugging along at full steam, everything just fits into the arrangement. This rich texture of Frigg’s sound, combined with a relentless spirit for both innovation and tradition, is what sets Frigg apart as one of the most versatile and captivating bands of their generation. Website: Nordicsoundarchive.comFrigg's website: https://frigg.fi/Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textA beautiful homecoming!Ale joins the channel once again from balmy California where Dreamers' Circus begin their 2025 U.S. tour to celebrate the release of their new album Handed On. In this conversation, Ale talks about the importance of music in bridging divides between cultures in tumultuous times, the Handed On project, and of course, that every present question of Nordic Folk music. Thank you so much for coming back around these parts, Ale. It's always a pleasure!Check out tour dates near you in the coming weeks here in the states at Dreamerscircus.com/tour0:00 Intro1:45 Handed on U.S. Tour10:30 The Nordic Folk Question17:25 Touring the U.S. in 2025 - The Elephant in the Room25:30 The Handed On Project43:11 Handed On, the AlbumSupport the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textThis year, I made it a New Years' resolution for the channel that we'd finally start an honest effort in expanding the Nordic Sound into new and more diverse genres, and what better way to bring classical music back into the picture than by chatting with one of my favorite music writers. Join me in welcoming Ola Nordal (Ballade Klassisk, Store Norske Leksikon) to talk about Norway's contemporary classical scene, the practice of active listening, and writing about music. Ola has long been a friend of the channel, often giving his own time to introduce me to composers and artists active in today's Norwegian classical music. 0:00 Introduction1:55 Ola's Musicology4:12 Getting into Classical music (from Bathory)9:59 Becoming a Music Writer13:34 Active Listening37:44 Writing About Music45:28 The Norwegian Classical Scene53:01 Why Write About Music?Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textNordicsoundarchive.comFredrik returns to the Nordic Sound for his second appearance to talk about Torulf's recent record Ristningar i Ginnungagap and the stories that inspire his music. Along the way, we also talk about his earliest memories as a musician, how he became Torulf, and why it's difficult to keep up with new music.Thanks for hanging out, Fredrik!Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textJameson and Jouhikko virtuoso Lassi Logrén celebrate Finnish independence day by talking about the Jouhikko/Tagelharpa tradition, Finnish folk music, and the Tagelharpa renaissance we’re experiencing outside of traditional folk circles. We also talk about Lassi’s new solo album “Jouhikko”, why Lassi believes the instrument itself sounds human, and what we might gain from learning how to connect with solo instrumental albums on a personal, communal, and maybe even spiritual, level. Along the way, Lassi offers advice and pointers for those learning, or looking to learn how to play the Jouhikko/Tagelharpa. And of course, being Finnish independence day, I had to take a detour through some Sibelius talk ;)Lassi’s email for those who want to ask him for Jouhikko/Tagelharpa advice: [email protected] hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Thank you Lassi, it was a pleasure!Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textFinnish/Swedish(/Cornish?) duo Ville & Tommie join me in Nordic Sound #43 to talk about their uniquely freeform approach to performing Nordic folk music as an accordion and fiddle duo and their debut album "Stuffed Pockets". Along the way, we talk about how the duo came to be, where they come from as individual musicians, and that tricky line across tradition and innovation we always have to dance as folk musicians."Ville & Tommie play for concert and dance, blending traditional melodies alongside original tunes. They each bring their backgrounds to the stage, whether it be a deep knowledge of Gästrikland fiddle tunes or Cornish street music. Yet in essence the duo Ville & Tommie is all about creative empathy. To be more than the some of their parts, they must inhabit each others’ playing. And in whichever setting, the dance is never far away. The groove of polska, waltz, hornpipe and schottis is the heartbeat to their tune."Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textIn part 2 of Nordic Sound #42, Jameson and Fredrik poke and prod at the thorny question of what folk music is, what makes something folk music, and what folk music means in a Nordic context with Fredrik contributing what he learned while writing and directing the documentary "Trollstemt".I've found these conversations are almost always had behind closed doors in hushed tones, but I think there's much to be gained by bringing it out from under the rug after hearing perspectives from many sides of the Nordic music industry that tend to overlap more than one would expect. Therefore, the purpose of conversations like these is to create a space for open and candid discussion that encourages us to think more intentionally about the ways we think about, talk about, and listen to the music that we love.  With that in mind, I hope those who do contribute to the conversation do so in the same spirit.Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textJoin me as I dive deep into the history of Norway's folk music tradition with Fredrik Akselsen, acclaimed director of the series "Trollstemt" - a documentary I had been keeping tabs on since Mattias Thedens of Gangar first promoted it last year. It's funny to think I hadn't the slightest idea that I'd end up having the director on the Nordic Sound for a chat, and for that, we all owe a hearty "tusen takk" to Ingrid Aune Falch of Songleikr for putting us in contact after our last interview. In a first for the channel, this interview will be split into two parts. In the second part, we continue the thorny, provocative, but important conversation to be had about what Nordic Folk music is and why it's a conversation that needs to be had more openly, and more candidly, as fantasies of Nordic Folk enter into the mainstream and risk overtaking this rich, beautiful, and surprisingly animist music tradition dating back over a millennia. Support the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony

Send us a textJameson is joined by Maria Franz and Ingrid Aune Falch to talk about Songleikr's history with Midgardsblot and how important storytelling is as a part of Songleikr's music (and folk music in general). After taking us through their history with "medieval music", we get into a rather difficult and provocative discussion about what Nordic folk even is, with Maria and Ingrid both offering extensive commentary on the growing misuse of the term over the years. This particular conversation has been central to the Nordic Sound, and so I anticipate a lot of productive discussion to grow out of what was started here - especially as the vocalist of Heilung, a band so often labeled as Nordic Folk, Maria's perspective is a much needed shake-up to the conversation.We wrap up the discussion with the question of how Nordic music has exploded over the years and the kind of changes that has brought to the scene, with yet another complex conversation about heritage and roots as they pertain to the reception of Nordic music.Thank you both for the lively and productive discussion... we've all had quite a bit to think about since recording this!0:00 Least chaotic nordic sound intro3:09 Midgardsblot13:54 Storytelling through music22:44 Early experiences with "medieval" music42:30 The Folk Music Question1:00:07 Heritage and the Nordic music boom1:14:14 What's next for Songleikr?The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelSeanSimonYou too can support the project at patreon.com/nordicsoundSupport the showThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsoundThe Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons:GeorgeBetsCarrieGenLeighMikeCindyClaytonDrakeEricJamieJuliaMaryMichaelMichaelSeanSimonTony