Tag Archives: Review

A CeltCast Classic
Kati Rán – Sála (2024)

23 Jun
Cliff de Booy
0 Comments

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:

Blackwater Valley; the final chapter in the Sunfire story

09 Jun
Cliff de Booy
0 Comments

With all the social media channels filling up with reactions on the last two Sunfire concerts, it is easy to forget that they also have a new album out. The final chapter in the story of Sinners’ Town called Blackwater Valley. And as we have come to expect from Sunfire, it is a small little musical gemstone. Although Blackwater Valley is their last hurrah, the band still brings new elements to their sound, keeping their innovative western folk style upright till the very end. Swing jazz, Dixie and dark folk are the new influences you will find. And a large dose of Mexican fiesta.

So click here and join us one more time as we dive into the wonderful world of western folk: Sunfire Style!

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

05 Jun
Thomas Ribbrock
0 Comments

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
Cliff de Booy
0 Comments

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:

New Sowulo album out soon

27 Aug
Cliff de Booy
0 Comments

On Friday the 29th, Sowulo will release their 5th studio album called Niht.

We were honoured that we were allowed to listen to the album in advance.

Our reviewer Cliff de Booy has been all over this new masterpiece from Sowulo, and came back all enthusiastic and inspired.

According to Cliff: ‘Niht is a beautiful album, taking the intense power of previous Sowulo recordings, and adding even more layers to it, leaving me longing for more, every time the music finishes.’

Read all about the new Sowulo album Niht here on the CeltCast website. We at CeltCast can’t wait for the official release, so we finally can share this beautiful music with you, our listeners, on our radio playlists.







Player

Please support us through: iDeal or PayPal

Recent tracks

Loading ...