A CeltCast Classic
Kati Rán – Sála (2024)

23 Jun

Some records become instant classics the moment that they are released and Sála, the 2024 album by Kati Rán, is one of those. A bold statement, I know, but one I can quite easily explain.

As a kid I discovered my need for ‘healing music’. Music that would lead me into a different world. My own inner world. A world where I could be safe, open up and feel. I had (and still have) the need to sometimes escape this whole darn demanding world and disappear into my own little subspace and recharge. Just some ‘me’ time to be able to let my emotions flow and deal with them in a controlled and safe way. It was and is my way of dealing with this weird, twisted world full of triggers, chaos and insecurities. Music became my safe haven.

Normally, I need a couple of well-chosen songs to work those emotions out, but sometimes, just sometimes, single songs are composed so well that they can take me on that journey by themselves. Telegraph Road by dIRE sTRAITS was the first song that did that. In the pagan folk scene I found a few more: Hymn to Pan (Faun), Circle of Stag (The Dolmen), Torc (SeeD) and Reis Glorios (Estampie), to name a few. Every time I hear these songs, they bring me into that state of emotional bliss were I can let myself go and mentally recharge myself. Put a couple of those songs in one playlist, and I can take on the world again.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think it possible that somebody could write a whole album that could have that effect on me. And then there was Sála. The first time I listened to it was on an evening after a long frustrating day at work. I felt agitated, chaotic and was full of frustration. So I put the music on, crawled into my little corner of the couch and it happened — I just instantly connected with the first archaic notes, ages of wisdom seem to pour out of these notes. The tribal -almost Native American- rhythm opened up the path to my inner self I know so well and the soothing voices of Kati Rán, Gaahl and Gealdýr started doing their healing work.
And it continued, song after song after song. Before I knew it, 77 minutes were gone and the last notes of Sátta had played. My mind was at peace again, and the calm silence that followed was just as beautiful as the whole CD I had just listened to. Minutes where I said nothing. Minutes I needed to comprehend what I’d just heard. That’s a rare thing. Even now, after many rounds of intense listening to the album for this review, Kati’s creation has this effect on me.

The music on Sála works in so many ways. The first is the flow of the songs itself. The rhythms, the voices, the compositions, the sounds Kati specially recorded to connect all of them together. All these aspects make listening to this record a meditative, almost spiritual experience. Of course, this starts with Kati’s soothing singing style. If silk had a voice, it would be hers. And luckily for us, she combines that beautiful voice with lovely, almost minimalistic music. Quite often less is more, and Kati understands this concept like no other. Don’t get me wrong, it is not like there is nothing happening in Kati’s music. On the contrary, she knows exactly what to add to keep you captivated till the very last note. No, it’s that perfect balance between ‘less’ and ‘more’, between adding and removing. Kati is a master at it: it is spot on, during the whole album!

There is a picture in the booklet by Gigja Einarsdottir of two Icelandic horses on the beach (used here as the cover for the single Unnr – mindbeach) and that picture embodies every song played on Sála. It is minimalistic, yet full of detail. It is calm, yet full of energy. It is still, yet full of movement. It is the art of using white space to fill a whole world. That is the best description of the music on Sála. Kati uses silence as a note. She uses space as a sound. You don’t have to use words to get a message across. Sound is enough. That is exactly what Kati Rán is doing here. I am moved purely by the careful selection of sounds. Wisely picked one by one. I don’t even need words. Up to this point in the review, as I am writing these words that you are now reading, I haven’t read the lyrics yet. And as I don’t speak Old Norge, Nynorsk, Icelandic or Norwegian I haven’t got a clue what the songs are about. Still Kati –and the other voices on Sála– soothe me in a way I did not think possible. In perfect harmony with the rhythm of music. With the rhythm of the silence. Stone Pillars is my absolute favourite song on this album as it is the accumulation of everything I have said until now. But there is no bad song on here. Every song needs the one before it and the one coming behind it to make the overall experience work. In one word: a masterpiece.

Although Sála should be taken as a whole, I still want to take this moment to mention some individual highlights. I already picked out Stone Pillars, my absolute favourite song on this amazing CD. I love the soundscape feel of this song. The mantra-like lyrics, as much recited as they are sung. And of course the rhythmical melody played on the stone marimba. That combination of the marimba rhythm and those ghost-like yet soothing, slightly whispered voice is just amazing. Kati Rán at her very, VERY best.

The opening song Sála is another highlight for me. I love those deep drums. It’s that rhythm that pulls me straight into a meditative state. I also love the male vocals here by Gaahl and Gealdýr. The combination of the drums and the choral vocals give this song a slight Native American vibe. I love that combination of Nordic folk and Native American chanting. The two go wonderfully together. I love the arrangement of this song as well. It has such a beautiful build up. Pure magic.

The sound of Hefring connects wonderfully to LYS, Kati’s first solo album. There is a sense of longing in this song that I find really captivating. A sense that I hear more often listening to this whole album.

Blodbylgje is of course more than just a song. Its an epic poem, a musician painting, an iconic scene with sound. Some even call it a shamanic audio experience. I had trouble understanding it when I heard it when it was first released. I could not connect with it. But now, put in the context of this whole album, I finally understand it. Yes, it is indeed a very special song.

Dröfn starts with an intriguing sound effect. I’m still trying to figure that one out. What is it? Why is it there? Don’t tell me though, I’ll figure it out. The song itself is actually a poem. I love how after the epic grandness of Blodbylgje, Kati chooses to recite a poem! It is that contrast, that well thought out flow, that makes this album work so well. Your mind is constantly triggered. And on you go on the journey through Kati Rán’s musical world.

Stone Pillars I already mentioned but it fits perfectly at this point of the album. The most introspective point. The main theme of this album are the nine daughters of Ægir and Rán. In Nordic mythology Ægir and Rán both personify the sea. The nine daughters are the sea waves, all with their own personalities. The cool thing is that Kati tells their stories in poems that talk about universal themes. Longing, loss, hurt and warfare. This poetic approach means that we all can take our own feelings and needs out of it. Even if you are not knowledgeable in Nordic mythology, you can take something away from this album.

A next highlight for me is Unnr – Mindbeach. Again, the build-up is beautiful. There is something hypnotic about it. The repetition of the choral part is mind-boggling, the lyrics beautiful. Just take your time to read them. To read the translation. The words fully deserve that. Some of you will by now have noticed I’m not going deeply into those lyrics. That is true and for good reason. First of all, the story is not mine to tell. They are Kati’s lyrics, so I’ll add a YouTube link Kati shared with all of us so she can explain what they mean to her herself. Secondly, I don’t want to ruin your own journey. Find your own meaning in them just as I have done.

At this point I’m fully immersed in the meditative experience that is Sála. Himinglæva is a beautiful duet between Kati Rán and Jaani Peuhu (Iconcrash, Swallow the Sun, Mercury circle). It feels more like a story than a poem. A story of love, longing and loss. And beautifully sung by both Kati and Jaani who also mixed and produced this album. Again that feeling of longing is in there, but Sála is not a sad CD. Nor is it a meditative one although I mention this word so many times in this review. Sála feels inspirational and positive. It also feels like a band project, not a solo CD. Jaani, Gaahl, Gealdýr, Umbra ensemble, Emilie Lorentzen, Florian Ravn (Ravn), Yana Veva (Theodor Bastard) and all the other musicians don’t feel like guests on this album. No, they are all part of this experience. The are all essential contributors to this beautiful piece of art.

As I mentioned a couple of times in this review, Kati has a really soft, soothing voice and up till Hrönn that is the one she used most on this album. But she can also belt and tear through music if she wants to, and she does that to the fullest advantage on Hrönn. I love that part of her music just as much as I love the poetic, healing side. The music itself also picks up momentum again. We get to point where I start to rejuvenate again after the cleansing introspective experience of the previous four songs.

Kati recorded a lot of sounds that she and Jaani used to connect all the songs together, to make this CD sound like one song. The best sound she chose to do so you will find between Bára and Segið Mér. And again it is the power of silence. Bára starts small, like a little drop in the vast ocean of time, but builds up to a powerful crescendo, then suddenly stops, only to continue on as the war cry Segid Mér. What a beautiful transition. I really thought it was one song the first six or seven runs I had Sála play. And what a beautiful song this combination of Bára and Segið Mér is. So powerful. So strong. So… So… I have no words for it. Just put it on and feel it yourself. Put it on loud. Use your headphones. Use your best loudspeakers. You have to feel this, immerse yourself in it. Feel the power of Kati’s whispers, feel the anger of her belted rhythmical chant flow over you. The clever way Jaani and Kati have layered the instruments around this stunning piece of art! As I said at the start, an instant classic in my pagan folk…, in my entire folk…, no, in the whole of my music collection!

On several occasions, Kati said that this album is a journey. Well, that is totally true. It is the ‘healing’ album I did not know that I needed until I listened to it the first time. A classic Nordic folk album that everybody must have in their collection. And that’s my final word on it.

Cliff

Editor: Iris
Cover picture: Arne Beck
Unnr cover picture: Gigja Einarsdottir
Kati Rán portrait: Ruben Terlouw (Woedans)

You can find Kati Rán here:

Sunfire – Blackwater Valley (2026)

09 Jun

This is a review I hoped would be years in the future, and I’m writing it with tears in my eyes, as it is the last Sunfire review I will be able to do. Just weeks after releasing Blackwater Valley, Sunfire confirmed something I was already fearing when I read the liner notes written by Satria Karsono’s alter ego Billy Tanner in the artwork of Blackwater Valley. Sunfire is going to quit this year. Fantasy Forest will be their very last concert.

Here are Sunfire’s own words on it:
‘After 10 incredible years, we’ve decided that the time has come for Sunfire to end. This journey has meant everything to us. What started as an idea grew into something far beyond what we could have imagined, and that’s all because of the people around us. To our fans…thank you for showing up, for feeling the music, laughing, crying, dancing and for sharing these moments with us. To the Sunfire team, thank you for your dedication and for making every show possible. And thank you friends and family for your endless support and belief in us. We are deeply grateful for every single memory we’ve made together. Thank y’all for everything!’

So there you have it. The end of an era. One that I was allowed to follow closely, so this is going to be a bit more then just a review for me. As it will be for many of you readers.

Born out of friendship

What I will remember most of Sunfire is the friendship within the band, but also the friendship you felt every time Sunfire interacted with their fans. It’s that friendship that made it very easy for fans to embrace the band.
Another thing that made Sunfire special was their genuine love for making music. It is that shared love for creating and experimenting that helped Sunfire create something unique: their own musical world called Western folk.

I remember a couple of conversations with lead singer Satria Karsono about my reviews, where he questioned some of my comparisons in his typical, respectful way. And he was right. As a reviewer you try to describe music by comparing it, explaining it in a certain style, trying to describe the sound of one band by comparing them to others.
But with artists like Sunfire that doesn’t work. They never aim to ‘write music in a certain style’. Artists like Sunfire are all about discovering music; about creating new things and about challenging themselves musically, growing as artists. Sunfire isn’t a style. It is what you get when you bring these five talented musicians together with all their different personal styles.

There is Satria Karsono: the singer/songwriter with his deep love for David Crosby but also the Red Hot Chili Peppers (to name but two).
There is Sophie Zaaijer: the fiddle folk wizardess who can drop a flaming solo at you in an instant without even blinking.
You have Michel Beeckman: the waltzing groove machine that will make even the most grounded fungi dance.
There is Jeroen van Leeuwen: the centipede drum machine; certified engine of the band with his energetic shuffle function and full jumping capability.
And there is Berend de Vries: virtuoso rock guitar soloist extraordinaire – once compared with the legend that is Alex van Halen in a review – but with a total down to earth, modest complexion (and with added studio skills to make Sunfire shine as bright on their albums as they do on stage.)
With every new album you could feel Sunfire re-exploring themselves, and Blackwater valley is no exception.

Before I get into the musical part, I want to go into the lyrics. I’ve never really done that with a Sunfire album, which is a shame as the lyrics are such an important part of the Western folk world that the band have created.
As I read the lyrics from the new album Blackwater Valley and compare them with those of the last two albums I personally get the sense they are a trilogy. I don’t know if this was the intention but let me explain myself.

The tale of Sinners’ town

It all kicked off with Sinners’ town, placed in a county somewhere deep in the wild west, in a time where the Western pioneers tried to cut a life in new pastures where the grass was good and the buffalo roamed freely.
Some were good people just wanting to make a living [Long Road to Come], but from the start Satria focused more on the backstreets of human interaction. Those bleak spots where the ugly side of humanity tends to hide. Jordan, Shot, Gallow Waltz and Roadburn are beautiful examples of it. Told in little stories they show the darker side of human nature.
And he also had an eye for the other side of America’s conquest; the Native American side. The side of indigenous people who lived in harmony with nature [Soul], but were eventually pushed out by the ‘glorious’ white men [The War Is Won].

Where Sinners’ town‘s lyrics are full of seizing opportunities – be they good or bad – the lyrics on The Devil’s Drink are a lot more introspective. The main theme there is that of remorse. On The Devil’s Drink Satria really carves out the characters that make up Sinners’ Town. They are looking back at their life choices and in general the outcome is not good. Some find remorse in the bottle [The Devil’s Drink, Leave The Bottle], some in women [Saywer’s Dance], some in thought and denial [Ballad of River, Grit] and some… well they just met their fate [The Hunter].
All the songs are little stories again, sometimes describing a scene, sometimes giving a glimpse of the human soul, but never with a clear opinion being pushed in your face. You can find a lot of room for thought if you want to within the lines [Ballad of River, The War Is Won], but you can also enjoy them as they are. Cool stories with a nice, dark edge.

Blackwater Valley; The last, gruesome page

Blackwater Valley is the last page in the story of Sinners’ Town and the story does not end well. I remember reading Western stories when I was a kid: there was a whole series of them that came out every month. In these stories there was always a sleepy town, deep in the Wild West, ruled by ruthless men. There was always one helpless person trying to live a good, honest life. Conveniently those helpless people were mostly pretty young women who could take care of a lonesome hero. Because those were always there. One single hero standing against injustice. Those heroes always got seriously wounded, barely surviving under the gentle care of those same pretty young women, but they would always overcome everything in one final big heroic shoot-out. I loved these stories as a kid.
Well, the story of Sinners’ Town does not end like that. There is no hero. There is no hope. The future in this place feels as grim as the black water flowing through the valley where it lies. If you read the lyrics on their own they are pitch black. There is no final grand twist here. Sinners’ Town has reached the gutter of society and will most likely end there, forgotten and left behind.

Now I have to be honest, reading the lyrics of Blackwater Valley like that on their own didn’t work for me. I didn’t really like them. I was looking for some tongue-in-cheek twist that would lighten the load, but there was none. For that I needed to bring in the music, because there was the light note I was looking for: in the contrast between the cheerful music and the dark murder folk stories. And suddenly the lyrics did work! That is the magic of Satria’s songwriting talent. He makes you sing the most horrible things with a huge smile on your face: Shot, Reaper’s Train, Saywer’s Dance – whip me, whip me –, and Soul – Take my body, take my soul – are just a few of the examples of that. On Blackwater Valley, Satria does it all over again.

Discovering new musical worlds

These 10 years listening to Sunfire made me appreciate a whole new musical world I knew nothing about: Americana and its subgenres. Trying to understand the lyrics on Blackwater Valley made me discover yet another of those subgenres: dark country. It’s a style where dark lyrics are brought with a gritty, mean, bluesy, country sound. Music made using tons of sandpaper on the vocals and a coffee grinder for a guitar sound. Check out the music of Blues Saraceno and you’ll know what I’m on about. Ballad of River from The Devil’s Drink album is in this dark country style.

Now, the cool thing is that Sunfire does these dark folk lyrics, and then throws the rule book out of the window yet again by soaking them in the most cheerful, upbeat ragtime, Dixieland and swing jazz tunes possible.

Instant Earworms

The Rat & The Rattlesnake is the first and best example. An instant earworm. A dancing tune waiting for an audience to explode into full party mode. The urge to sing along is instantaneous: “spread the word, spread the word, treasures buried in the dirt.” Well, the ‘word’ is that the bad guy always wins in Sinners’ Town.
Sunfire are on fire on this opening track. The gritty guitar sound is totally dark country, the Mexican trumpet taking the lead on this track is most definitely not. Nor is the ragtime party style and the upbeat shuffled drums. What a song, and so typical of Sunfire. They don’t do songs by the book. No, they take what they like from European folk and Americana and find their own unique twist on it. Special kudos for that final screamed-out high note. That one is seriously impressive!

The next song is called Incantation Of Rot. You would expect some moody, gnarly folk tune here, bu nope. Not with Sunfire. Instead, you get a swinging mid tempo jazz tune – a bit like the Dutch band Them Dirty Dimes.

The music is nice and upbeat, the guitar and violin solos are sophisticated, as are those subtle harmonies sliding in and out of the chorus. the whole song is sophisticated actually, which makes the contrast with Satria’s lunatic laughter and singing as the song progresses even bigger. He has become such a performer. This is what it would sounds like if Batman’s The Joker were to visit Sinners’ Town.
I have not heard Satria THAT expressive yet. Clean singing; whispered vocals; fully belted high notes; a slight bit of grit to spice things up; beautiful harmonies; and the weirdest sort of ‘duet battle’ between him and Magda Andersson (Ye Banished Privateers, Magda Novels): in my opinion Blackwater Valley is his best performance as a singer yet.

Blackwater Valley and Same Shit Different Day are two more jazzy songs with huge sing-a-long qualities. That is the biggest difference with the two earlier Sunfire records. Where on previous albums the band explored all kinds of different music styles, this time they made it a lot easier for us reviewers. Ragtime, swing and Dixie are the main musical ingredients. Giving Blackwater Valley an easy downbeat vibe. The music feels like a big comfy armchair. But one that will kick and buck if you are not careful. Well done Berend de Vries on the recording and mixing of this album. It is all in the details on Blackwater Valley.

The start of Pocket Full Of Gold is such a detail. It is an homage to the man in black himself: Johnny Cash. And to Sergio Leone‘s famous ‘spaghetti western whistle intro’. It’s Once Upon a Time in the West meets Rawhide.

But not for long: the Sunfire style quickly takes over again with Jeroen’s typical brush wire shuffles, some cool Brotherwood, The Lonesome Malones harmonies and some great trumpet melodies again to frame this picture all in. Kudos for the role of Frank Grillo on this album. I love the extra warmth he brings to the Sunfire sound. I sure hope that we will see him perform on the final Sunfire gig.

So there we have it. The final review has been written. The Sunfire story is almost done. Blackwater Valley is a special ending to that story. A last glorified black page in the soon to be history of Sinner’s Town. Not the one I expected, but that’s Sunfire for you. They never do the expected. But if you like the unique Western folk world that Sunfire created over the years, this album will not disappoint you at all. It will surprise you in the most pleasant of ways.

Fare-thee-well Henri River, Cole Burner, Madam Saywer and Deputy Frost. I will see you all in hell.
And for you, Billy Tanner. The final words of this review are for you, you old banjo teasing geezer:

-‘We are parting as a great group of friends who have been in this together for 10 years. What can I say! Sometimes it’s just good to leave the party at its peak.
It’s been a ride! Sunfire has always been a true artistic expression for me, both in artwork and music: writing and building this old Western world filled with tales riddled with bullets, the dark occult, God, the Devil, and that eternal battle between good and evil. But it’s more than that. Seeing you all in front of the stage over the years has been a true blessing. You’ve felt the music. You’ve danced, sung, cried, and laughed with us, which for me was all I could have ever wished for. I’ve seen the Sunfire team grow into an epic force of nature, nine people strong, making the shows work their way into your hearts. The least I can say is that I am more than proud of what we have become.
I am so grateful. Thank you all for this amazing ride! From organizers who gave us a kickstart when we were merely an idea, to fans who traveled miles and miles to come and see us, to our friends and loved ones who’ve always had our backs.
Thank you for everything. It was truly something.
Satria‘
[Taken from his facebook page.]

Thank you Satria, Berend, Michel, Jeroen and Sophie for these 10 years. From small beginning to the upcoming last hurrah. It was one hell of a ride!

Cliff

Editor: Iris
Cover art: Satria Karsono
Pictures: Cliff de Booy (1,2,3,4,6,7), Tír Tomás Photography/Thomas Ribbrock (5,8)

You can find Sunfire here:

The Trouble Notes – Mnemorith: Echoes of Eldbriaris (2026)

05 Jun

Prior to the album’s release The Trouble Notes said: “It’s different – it’s the biggest risk we ever took”.

Cover: The Trouble Notes-Mnemorith: Echoes of Eldbriaris

They were right, it’s very different. Different from their previous albums. Different from what one would expect a music album to look like. Different from what supposedly caters to the almighty algorithms. But – when has great art ever been created from within the comfort zone?

The courage to dream big and do things their way has resulted in a unique, powerful piece of art (a music album, a narrated story and an illustrated book). It’s a tale of hope for everybody, who has ever felt lost in this world. It’s an invitation to dream together of a better world based on the spirit of community. Are you ready for a journey that has only just begun? Then let’s dive into the full “Echoes of Eldbriaris” review.

The logic of the album is driven by the progression of the story (parts 1-4 are interpretative)

Part 1 – Paradise

The first three tracks set the stage for the story album. They welcome the listener into the harmonious and prosperous homeland of the protagonists known as “Eldbriaris”.

Track #1, “Echoes of Eldbriaris”:
This song makes for a bold entrance. In still relatively typical The Trouble Notes fashion, the song slowly builds up tension. The drums (George Bingham, UK) kick things off with a rather slow rhythm, suggesting a dignified and festive occasion. Soon they are joined by the rocky sounds of a technically acoustic guitar (Florian Eisenschmidt, DE) blending into an interesting tapestry of sound. This tapestry serves as the foundation for the melody added by the violin (Bennet Cerven, US), first in slow and bold strides, then, once the main body of the song has been reached, in light-speed fashion reminiscent of an Irish reel. But The Trouble Notes give this traditional folk pattern their own twist by adding a slower part with ephemeral soundscapes and some distorted, rocky sounds in between those wild dancing sections.

Track #2, Narration 1 (The Harmony)
This is the moment when things really begin to be different. What follows isn’t a next song, but instead the beginning of an audiobook woven in in between the songs and narrated beautifully by the violinist and author of the novella, Bennet Cerven himself. With his exceptional story-telling skills Bennet invites the listener into his world, making one yearn for this cozy and peaceful land, “Eldbriaris” – reminiscent of “The Shire” in Lord of the Rings.

This is also the moment where the four protagonists, Emmerich, Seraphine, Kael and Saela are first introduced to the listener – and what an introduction! While the general pattern of the storyline seems pretty standard, the characterization of these four heroes is anything but standard. The description of the four lifelike characters doesn’t remind me one bit of any typical fantasy archetypes. Rather, they seem like real people with heart and soul, each with their own strength, each with their own struggles and each with traits that make it impossible not to like them. As a matter of fact, they seem so well-rounded and multifaceted and are characterized with such warmth that it wouldn’t surprise me if some authentic, real-life inspiration was involved in creating these characters.

Track #3, “So We Dance (feat. Reikas Tanz)
This song diverges far from what one would usually expect from an energetic, instrumental violin-led band. “So we dance” is written in a major key (usually minor), involves a lot of singing (with female vocals being added by Scottish singer Hannah Jo Mackinlay throughout the album) and comparatively little violin and except for a quick dancing tune to stay true to the title of the song, it’s a rather calm ballad that only picks up speed in the end when the combination of lead singing/speaking and some kind of chorus make it almost sound like musical theatre.

In the context of the story, this diversion from the usual troubled melodies is perfect though. The song and its lyrics match the cozy feeling of happy togetherness, of people singing and dancing while sitting around the campfire, that had already been summoned by the preceding narration. Thus, while it might take some getting used to, this unusual song goes to show how versatile The Trouble Notes can be musically, if that is what is needed to create an adequate soundtrack. Furthermore, the choice to feature the band “Reikas Tanz” on this track, adds to the impression that thoughtful preparation has gone into all aspects of this album, for what better fit could there be for this song than a band that combines cheerful, danceable fantasy folk with a positive, reflective message?

Part 2 – Catastrophe strikes – the protagonists take on a noble but perilous quest

But of course, after this disneyesque-Happy-End put up front, there wouldn’t be much of a story if everything in Eldbriaris had remained all fuzzy and untroubled forever. Beginning with Track #4 “A Fracture” starts showing up in the Eldbriaran “paradise”. And thus, the four young protagonists, inspired by Emmerich’s adventurous stories, set out to open sea and unknown lands to save their beloved homeland.

Track #5, No Land in Sight (feat. Stefan Klug, Fiddler’s Green)
“No Land in Sight”, yet again, sounds very different – but once more matches the preceding narration very well. It’s hard to sum up this song since, just as entering an adventure into the unknown, it is full of surprises. It starts out with Arabic sounds, reminiscent of older songs such as “Sands of Time”, which is most likely meant to symbolize the unknown the protagonists are about to enter. It then leads into dark, almost desperate seeming vocals, both in style and words, to suddenly be interrupted by a distorted, rhythmic guitar riff that Steppenwolf would have been proud of. After this sudden “interruption”, the song changes to a less desperate but equally dark, folk-rock opera, providing everything needed to sing and dance your heart out in search of redemption and catharsis and thus, below the surface, really isn’t all that different from previous The Trouble Notes songs that show similar potential for catharsis through liberating dance.

As with “So We Dance”, although the folky colour of the accordion to an otherwise rocky sound certainly adds to the song, the choice of featured artist also makes sense on a deeper level. Stefan Klug’s band Fiddler’s Green is known for successfully having pushed the genre boundaries of folk-rock for 36 years and thus is the perfect match for the genre-defying approach The Trouble Notes have manifested in “No Land in Sight”.

After another (now that the basis has been established) shorter narration titled “Storm” (Track #6), which sketches the protagonists’ emotional rollercoaster while trying to withstand the mighty force of nature, the corresponding song, “Storm Searching” follows.

Track #7, Storm Searching (feat. Benni Cellini)

This song is an update on the single of the same name, which was already released in October 2024. While in its basic structure a Celtic dance tune, the way the song is executed is pure prog-rock. As a real storm, the song builds up momentum slowly, mirroring a calm sea that evolves into a full-blown, menacing storm, ending with a full-on, distorted version of the still recognizable initial guitar and violin melody. In this build-up, the deep, sonorous cello part by Benni Cellini strengthens the impression of a darkening sky above the sea which the lucid tones of the violin would have struggled to convey on its own. “Storm Searching” represents both the unruly power of an outer as well as an inner storm which needs to be fought off. Besides, it has quite some head-banging potential, to lose oneself in.

Part 3 – Failure is imminent – hopelessness begins to spread among the protagonists

Whilst caught in the eye of the storm, darkness begins to spread within (Narration: Darkness Within, Track #8) as the protagonists walk the thin line between loss of hope and the desperate desire to live, eventually tumbling into the Abyss.

Track # 9, The Abyss (feat. Maria Vesna, Deloraine)
This song matches “No Land in Sight” in many ways, such as its dark vibes, its potential to surprise and a featured musician that fits the vibes of the song. But in accordance with the arc of suspense rising, “The Abyss” takes it even a notch further. The beginning is not only characterized by dark singing, but by a sense of imminent peril produced through very short, fast violin notes in the background that show next to no variation in pitch. In the next section, the singing doesn’t only reach powerful rock sounds as in “No Land in Sight” but summons the emotionally deep-running power of growling emphasizing the hopelessness of the moment. Eventually the song takes yet another unexpected turn, leading over into more peaceful sounds that feel like the feigned warm embrace of having come to terms with one’s doomed fate, mirroring the sensation of just letting oneself drift with the current instead of taking on yet another exhausting fight for survival, choosing the supposedly easy way out by accepting one’s own demise over enduring an endless chain of suffering.

Part 4 – New Hope is kindled – the protagonists spot a hopeful light in the distance

As the protagonists overcome the peak of the perils and new hope is kindled, musically the listener is steered back into more familiar waters.

Track #11, “Solospire”
“Solospire” does have an inspiring, hopeful singalong chorus that expresses the newly found hope of Emmerich, Seraphine, Kael and Saela, but apart from that it’s a purely instrumental piece, exhibiting the expressive-energetic folk-rock style of The Trouble Notes, reminiscent of many of their previous songs while also cleverly citing the melody of “Storm Searching”, Track #7 on this album, yet executing that same melody in a more optimistic fashion this time around.

After a last narration …

Track #13, “Virexium”
… introduces the city where the story after this prologue album will unfold. Similarly to the previous track, “Virexium” also has the characteristic The Trouble Notes ring to it. Nevertheless, this song is not a mere continuation of their previous work but a testament to how much they’ve developed since their first album. While earlier pieces had mainly been crafted on the streets busking, catering to the necessities of quickly grabbing the attention of passers-by through high-speed sound acrobatics, “Virexium” takes things more slowly. The result is a consciously built, more mature sound that applies the skills acquired on the streets (for instance to be able to change the character of a song in the blink of an eye) but puts the skills to use in a more conscious, targeted way.

The cherry on top of the cake – the illustrated book

The 1-2 page big illustrations, in the community spirit of the album collaboratively created by Samanta Scherer and Alina Clever, beautifully support the story at pivotal moments while still leaving enough space for interpretation to be filled by the reader’s imagination. Next to the in-book illustrations and cover art, Samanta and Alina also took care of the general layout of the book. In doing so they exhibited great attention to detail stretching from the various background colours to the decorated page numbers with many surprises to be found in between.

Even for those of us who are usually in it for the music, it would be a pity to skip the book; not only because of the illustrations and the opportunity to read the story, but also because one would miss out on Bennet’s emotional preliminary and closing remarks and the heartfelt descriptions of the team behind the project, all of which spread the same sentiment of community and appreciation that the story album as a whole does.

Conclusion

Although some of it is very different in sound from what people might expect, the story album carries the same energy of community, hope and catharsis that The Trouble Notes spread everywhere they go and is thus still very recognizably authentically them. Genre-defying fusion has always been part of their band identity, but with this album and the help of a team that understood their vision (the German music producer Christoph Beyerlein having had a defining impact in that regard), they have finally found a way to transform this “problem” of not fitting into any category into a strength. A good soundtrack doesn’t need to be all folk, all rock, all instrumental or whatever – it needs to produce the right emotion and the right images at the right moment in time – thus all their band history of busking, picking up local traditions everywhere they went and inspiring audiences with their storytelling seems to have prepared them for this moment of having the confidence and the courage to do things differently, to do things their way – to tell a fantasy story without mentioning a single fantastic creature or special power and still make it seem like magic.

The old Bard’s of Ireland underwent 12 years of training; The Trouble Notes have existed for 13 years – just the right amount of training to become “Modern Bards” keeping the ancient tales of the Island of Mnemorith (which translates to “streams of memory”) alive.

Thanks to Sigrid Ribbrock for valuable editorial feedback.

Editor: Sigrid Ribbrock
Photos: Stefanie Tendler
Artwork: Alina Clever and Samantha Scherer

You can find The Trouble Notes here:

Runecraft – Alatyr (2024)

22 Apr

In 2022, I wrote a review concerning Bojany, the first release of the Polish pagan folk band Furda, and I loved that album for its ‘forget-about-the-rules-we-just-do-it-like-we-feel’ attitude and the mischievous elements in the music. One of Furda’s members, flutist/singer Bolesław Ren Rygiel, asked me last year if I wanted to listen to music of another project he had set up with his then girlfriend, now wife Karolina Rygiel. The band they started together is called STFUR. Through a musical platform they met up with Antti Martikainen, a Finnish producer and composer who wanted to make Nordic-style folk music, mixing ethnic folk instruments with his signature epic orchestral sound. Together the three of them started working on an album. Ren and Karolina wrote the music and recorded it. Antti was resposible for the orchestation, the mix and the mastering. The end result is a wonderful pagan folk double album called Alatyr and brought out under the name Runecraft.

Two albums in one

The album Alatyr comes in two versions; an orchestrated version and an acoustic one. From a CeltCast point of view the acoustic version is more in keeping with our station, so I’ll focus on that album first.

The first note of the first song Svyatogor immediately sets the tone. Runecraft aim to tell the stories of old gods, heroes, rituals and mystical Slavic creatures through music and do so instantly. That first strike sounds primordial, ancient and oozes mythical history. The guitar, the Irish tin whistle, Ren’s dark, deep throat singing voice and the way the song is produced, with aeons of time smeared over it just make these first notes stand out. I’m there, you got me hooked straight away.

There is so much happening that I find it hard to pinpoint the highlights in this opening track. The song itself is the highlight actually. It’s dark and cheerful at the same time. You have the dark throat singing of Ren and the archaic, tribal sound on one side, but then you have the cheeky slightly mischievous Irish whistle notes flowing all over this song. Not to mention the upbeat percussion that make it impossible to sit still while listening. The perfect mix of Ren’s other band Furda and the positive flute vibes of SeeD‘s Koen van Egmond, with a slight touch of Omnia meets The Moon and the Nightspirit to finish things off.

A beautiful ode to Svyatogor, a legendary gigantic Slavic knight, who according to legend was so big that Mother Earth could only barely hold him, so he lived in the mountains.

Mavka, a delicate touch of heaven

Passing the Furda-meets-Sowulo ballad Nocne Istoty we reach the second highlight on Alatyr, called Mavka. This time I can pinpoint exactly why I love this song so much: just listen to that tantalizing flute melody coming in after the intro this time written and played by Karolina. Both Karolina and Ren are virtuosos on their wind instruments, just as Koen van Egmond is. That nostalgic, almost lonesome feel Karolina is able to put into this flute melody is just astounding. The perfect mix between pagan folk and acoustic ambient dance music. After a first listening session my notes said: ‘This song feels like a warm bath with you weightlessly floating around in the water.’

The song is actually about a Mavka, a female spirit in Ukrainian folklore and mythology. Legend says she is the long-haired “Soul of the Forest”, typically depicted as a temptress figure who lures men to their deaths. Well, every note of that flute solo oozes out that legend. Well done, Runecraft.

The fourth song, Wotan, can only be about one legendary figure. The mighty Allfather himself. And you can hear that: this song breathes epicness from start to finish. Going back to my initial notes again: ‘This song is deep and dark. As if the spirits of the underworld are forcing themselves out of the caverns of the earth. And they are no white lighters. No, these spirits are warriors, wolfriders and black knights. These spirits are scary.‘

Still the music stays playful. Everything feels right here. The tribal rhythms, the driving bow string sound (made by attaching a guitar string to a cardboard tube with an iron nail), the flute solos, and especially the vocals. Ren throws everything at this song. Heilung-style chants, throat singing, whispered screams. This is how you use your voice as a bonus instrument.

The final duel between Ren’s monotone chant and the flute energetically swirling around it is a magical example of how Karolina and Ren created the perfect musical world for this Runecraft project.

Ren: ‘Karolina and me both do the vocals. We also both play a similar set of instruments: string, mandolin, guitar, bowed instruments (partly self made), viola, cello and all kinds of flutes. Beside these I alone take care of: jaw harps, reed instruments, didgeridoo, horns and more advanced, ethnic flutes like the Bulgarian kaval. I also recorded the drums on our songs. And of course made some instruments myself, like the cardboard tube ‘nyckelharpa’ you spotted. We write songs together. When it comes to who composes the songs, sometimes Arunka (Karolina) takes the lead, sometimes I do, but it is very much always a collaboration process.’

Instrumental Pagan folk (with vocals)

Which takes us straight into the next highlight, Maypole, which can only be described as an instrumental song with vocals. Come again? The explanation is simple: while Ren and Karolina sing a lot on this album, their voices are mostly used as an added instrument. The perfect way to transfer even more emotions and feelings into their already rich and evocative sound. This song, Maypole, just oozes spring sunshine and joy. You are there, dancing in the sunlight. A breeze flowing though your hair. Your loved one dancing in front of you. The wet grass tickling your bare feet. A perfect bliss of peacefulness.

Mavka, my favourite song of this amazing pagan folk double album

From that spring feeling, we dive straight into the underworld. I love that about this album, the contrast between one song and the next. From the joys of a maypole dance into the deep realms of the Polish underworld. Rotika is a Polish demon who lives in the gateway to the underworld, be it in the wetlands or deep in the Polish forests. Some even say he lives inside old willow trees. In some legends he is seen as the equivalent of Leshy, the protector spirit of the Slavic forests.

The clever musical contrast between dark epic folk and beautiful ambient folklore continues yet again. After the haunting musical portrayal of Rokita, we get the mesmerising epic melody that is called Zoryas, the feminine personification of dawn.
According to Wikipedia she is often depicted as the sister of the Sun, the Moon, and Danica, the Morning Star, with which she is sometimes identified. She lives in the Palace of the Sun, opens the gate for him in the morning so that he can set off on a journey through the sky and guards his white horses.
Well, you can hear all that in this majestic tune.

After which we dive straight into the darker side of Slavic mythology again. First with a visit to the Nav, the souls of the dead, and then the Bald Mountain, Lysa Gora, where the witches would gather for their sabbath. Ending with another more epic sounding tune featuring the gold-like warrior-musician Misizla.

It is hard to compare Runecraft’s music with other bands. They have their own distinctive archaic pagan folk sound just like Furda. Sometimes I sense a whiff of SeeD, sometimes a wave of the darkness of the Moon and the Nightspirit, especially in the male vocals. And quite often I feel a natural connection to the first two albums of Sowulo: Alvenrad and especially Sol. If you have music of these artists in your collection you are definitely going to like the acoustic Runecraft album too.

Meet Antti Martikainen: Epic Music Composer

So what does Antii Martikainen add to this already wonderful music? Well, in short, a whole orchestra with a full choir as a side dish.
Svyatogor opens in almost the same way as the acoustic album. But soon a male choir adds flavour, strings come in and before you know it a brass section and kettledrums open up a whole new dimension of epicness. This is Slavic folk music on a GRAND scale. This is Sowulo’s Alvenrad meets Nightwish‘s orchestral interlude in Ghost Love Score. This is truly epic with a capital E. This you want to play as loud as you can just to feel the whole scale of it. You just have too. Think Lord of the Rings soundtrack. It really sounds this grand. And the cool thing is Antti, doesn’t throw all his musical cards on the table right away. Even with the epic beginning, he manages to build on it during the five minutes of the song, making Svyatogor end on a stunning climax with the whole orchestra shining in its full glory. A song so worthy of the mighty giant knight/hero Svyatogor. Music so epic it can only be carried by a mountain.

Listening on, Antti does the same thing with Nocne Istoty. It begins small again, as Karolina and Ren originally wrote the song. Then you can hear how Antti takes the song and starts writing himself, including more and more melody lines. Adding to the original melody; building on it; layer upon layer; epicness upon grandness. Building this rhythmical chant into an epic war song.

A small introduction

On Bandcamp Antti introduces himself like this:
“I’m an independent composer from Finland. I make all sorts of stuff from ethnic, folk and traditional music to epic orchestral battle music and metal. My music is usually very melodic, rhythmic and simple, but diverse.”
Well he and I may have a different opinion on the term simple, but everything else fits. On Runecraft, he kinda does what Michael Kamen did with Metallica‘s music on their S&M album. Weaving his interpretation into the original music he was given.

And the result—although pagan folk, not metal—is just as grand and full-on as S&M was. In the end, I just had to contact Antti Martikainen and ask him about Runecraft. How he met Ren and Karolina, why he chose them for this project, about the whole process behind this amazing album. Luckily Antii was happy to oblige:

“It’s a pleasure to share a bit of the “behind the curtain” magic for this project. As a composer and producer rooted in the Finnish orchestral tradition, I’m always looking for voices that carry a specific, ancient weight—and that’s exactly what led to the birth of Runecraft.

I actually discovered Arunka [Karolina Rygiel’s nickname] and Ren through Fiverr, a freelancer service. I hired them to produce some Slavic-sounding music because I lacked that musical style in my library. From the first track Ren delivered, it was obvious to me that he and Arunka were a great fit for the project. They didn’t just deliver the usual cheap and fast “Fiverr-slop,” but very carefully crafted pieces that sounded original, authentic, and fresh to me. This raw, earthy authenticity contrasts beautifully with my epic orchestral arrangements. Runecraft wasn’t a planned project; it simply emerged from our collaboration.

While Arunka and Ren were the architects of the core songs-composing and recording the primary melodies and structures for the tracks on Alatyr – my role was to enhance the songs with orchestration, percussion, choirs, and SFX [atmospheric sound effects], and finally to mix, master, and publish the album. In this case, it actually became two albums because there was so much content! My goal was to ensure that the delicate folk instruments and vocals weren’t swallowed by the orchestra, maintaining a balance where you can feel the intimacy of the vocals alongside the scale of the symphony.”

As is already clear from this review, in my opinion Antti achieved all he was aiming for.

So which album do I like best? Is that important? Both albums are great. Both I can recommend highly. Both are good in their own way. The acoustic album I adore for its archaic, slightly dark sound and its cheekiness. The orchestral album I love for all its grandeur. That wall of sound that sweeps me off my feet time and time again. A few weeks ago I saw a performance of gaming in concert by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra on television and all the orchestral Runecraft songs would have fitted in there perfectly. None would have sounded out of place. Is there a bigger compliment possible? I think not!

Luckily both albums come in one package, so you don’t have to choose. Enjoy them both. They are well worth it.

Cliff

Editor: Iris
Artwork: Karolina & Ren Rygiel
Pictures: STFUR, Antii Martikainen

You can find Runecraft here:

You can find STFUR here:

You can find Antii Martikainen here:

Sowulo – Niht (2025)

26 Aug

I still remember listening to Mann for the first time. It felt like an intense outpouring of male emotion in all its raw forms. I was stunned by it, overwhelmed. The 2022 album Wurdiz had a slightly different energy. It started with that same emotionally overpowering wall of sound but the impressive vocals of Micky Huijsmans brought more balance to the songs, a female perspective so to say. And the theme of that album -fate – also made room for different perspectives which reflected in the music. It made room for softer songs, even a tender ballad. This makes Wurdiz a lovely album, beautiful to listen to.

And now we have Niht. The Fifth Sowulo album altogether and the third one in its current Anglo-Saxon orchestra form. Just as on the previous albums, composer and lyricist Faber Horbach takes us back deep into the dark ages and beyond. Back to the times of the Ingvaeones, the Germanic North sea tribes. The

Angles and Saxons in particular. And again, the end result is stunning.

The intro Niwe Mōna sets the tone. Tribal, enchanting but raw with a touch of inner pain. Seolfren Sicol then kicks in with the punch we are used from Faber. Strong, powerful and full of emotion. Micky and Faber sing the lyrics together as a two-man choir. Their voices blend really well together, Micky adding hugely to that already impressive mix of clean and distorted layered vocals that Faber always uses.
But to my pleasant surprise the music then eases back, giving Sowulo’s music a new dimension that I haven’t heard on their last albums that much. The driving percussion and strong vocals are still at the core of this song, but there is suddenly room for some subtle harp playing, some beautiful clean harmonies by Micky and Faber, some lovely cello, some impressive sweeps of the carnyx. And the chorus is seriously catchy. I’m liking this. I’m liking this very much.

Āsteorfan is an equally impressive song. It sounds like a whole orchestra and choir just entered the room. The carnyx joning in makes this tribal orchestra sound even more majestic. The composition itself keeps building up to something truly huge. Layer upon layer of vocals, strings, percussion and carnyx create that wall of sound that Sowulo is so well known for. Wow, this is something. Only downside is you need some headphones and the volume cranked up all the way to fully appreciate the potential of this composition (this is too massive and orchestral to be called a song). Somehow the mastering seems a bit flat. A bit safe. I’m missing something. A bit of a kick. The sound does not grab me by the throat when I play it as I’m used to with the previous albums. Maybe it is because I got the album in advance. I sure hope so, because the potential in the song is there. Faber clearly wrote it to be something massive, something huge.

I have the same problem at the start of Sōl ond Māni. The drums sound slightly overproduced. There seems to be too much effect on them and at the same time they sound clipped, therefore pushing the other instruments away. Especially the subtle percussion elements under it that I can only hear with my headphones fully blasting. But let’s not dwell on that, and listen to what we do have here. Another strong song oozing dark folk out of every note played. Listen to that impressive carnyx wailing over Micky’s vocals. Pure goosebump material. The drums do drive the song on by the way. Like a slow monster. Treading over the world. Unstoppable, scary, beautiful. A song that gets stronger and stronger the more I listen to it. Which goes for the whole album, actually. These songs are like good wine: they need to ripen. I started out liking them. Now at my eight or ninth listening run I’m truly loving them, despite the small remark I made about the mix earlier.

I have to focus on Micky Huijsmans at this point in the review. Faber has given her a much bigger -almost leading- role on Niht and I’m so happy he did that. She is glorious on it. Just listen to her powerful vocals on Sōl ond Māni. You really need some huge lungs and vocal chords to be able to hold your own against the wall of sound that Faber created while writing this composition. And she is nailing it, trust me. Yet, her voice is flexible enough to start small, to be fragile and breakable and as the song progresses she is blasting those notes out. Climbing up on top of that huge wall of sound. Wailing her heart out from the top of it. Becoming one with it. Well done, Micky.

OK we carry on. Full Mōna is another epic song with a lovely catchy chorus to cheer things up a bit. I predict this will become a live hit during concerts, just like Wulfwiga
Miċele Steorran is sung by Faber, but with a lot less effect on his voice then he normally uses. His sound is clean on this song and I like that. It suits this tribute to the stars, this celebration of the night. Faber once wrote and recorded Alvenrad because he wanted music he could play to celebrate the pagan year celebrations. This time it feels he wrote the music to honor the powers of the moon and the magic of the night sky. It seems to celebrate eternity and the darkness that goes with it. The further I get on this album, the more it feels like a ceremony to me. A celebration of the night. And through its darkness also a celebration of life.

The next highlight is Nihtēagan. It starts really beautiful with an intimate moment between Faber, Chloe on harp and Micky. The contrast between the subtle harp play and the raw emotional harsh vocals of Faber make this such a powerful moment. This is so well composed. Before you know it the sound of the nyckelharpa grabs you, sweeping you into a grand chorus of orchestra and choir. Again Micky shines in a beautiful solo moment. And again I wished the mix was a bit more dynamic so her vocals would really cut through the music, making her outpourings really hurt inside, because I can feel the music was meant that way. It was written by Faber to touch something deep inside of us, in a truly spiritual or emotional way. This is where Faber Horbach excels. It is not the first time that I have called him a classical pagan folk composer and it most likely will not be the last time. His compositions have the same strength, the same grand power that songs like Land Of Hope And Glory by Edgar Elgar also have. But then in a tribal, pagan way.

Talking about classical pagan music, we now come to one of my highlights on this album. A solo for carnyx. And what a solo it is. This beautiful instrument gets its moment to shine. It is truly stunning to hear all the possibilities this beautiful instrument has. It growls, it screeches and it tears at the moon. Its howls are beautiful and disturbingly eerie at the same time. It can sound beautiful, full and harmonious like a horn at one moment; growling, gnarly and angry like a wolf the next; or even impressively high-pitched like an elephant’s cry in the night. And all that with a human touch, a deep sadness in it. Absolutely beautiful and disturbing at the same time. No wonder the Germanic tribes used the carnyx as a war instrument. Imagine what would happen if you have a 100 of these things wailing at you while you wait for the things to come. But played like this, by Faber, it’s an instrument of beauty. A prehistoric voice brought back through time, crying out from the ancient depths of history in all its beauty.
Faber, thank you for that!

Eald Mōna beautifully picks up on this. To me it feels like a march. A tribe on its way to find the light again; marching into a tunnel of darkness; one by one; looking for the new moon; to drag it out of its cave and have the circle start all over again. There is a beautiful sadness in this song, a melancholy in the melody that I really like.

Swefnian has beautiful lyrics. Without music it reads like a poem. Overall, you can hear that Faber has grown as lyricist, just as he has grown as a composer. Niht is a beautiful album, taking the intense power of previous Sowulo records, and adding even more layers to it, leaving me longing for more every time the music finishes. Luckily, Niht is just a chapter in the cycle of life; just a moment in time. There are many more moons to come. Many more moments to grow. I cannot wait what the next cycle will bring for Sowulo, but until then I will happily have Niht ‘cycle’ its rounds in my CD player, time and time again! To celebrate the beauty of music, to celebrate the beauty of the night -and most importantly – to celebrate the magic called life.

Cliff

Editor: Iris
Cover Art: Faber Horbach
band photography: Henk van Rijssen (FB)
live photography: Cliff de Booy

Sowulo can be found here:







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