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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:
- Website: https://www.kati-ran.nl/
- Facebook: @Ran.musician
- Instagram: @kati_ran
- TikTok: @kati_ran
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/leafofficial/featured
- Spotify: Kati Ran
- Bandcamp: https://ranarvegr.bandcamp.com/
