Folk It!

mon 15 aug 2022 18:00 hour

Nordic Sounds.

On this Folkit!Nordic Sounds episode, we deviate a bit from our roots – in more ways than one. The band Yggdrasil, named after the mythical world tree of balance from the Norse mythology, does not stick to boundaries. You could call it jazz, avant-garde, symphonic, but rock and roots elements are also blended into a challenging sound. The group was founded in 1981 and is still going strong. Yggdrasil produced a considerable number of albums over the years, some of which we have selected for you today. Understandably, over the course of four decades, line-up changes occurred – but the core of the group remained constant for a long time. Leader and main composer Kristian Blak, flautist and saxophone player Anders Hagberg, guitarist Hedin Ziska Davidsen and bassist Mikael Blak are among that core. Later, in the first decade of this century, an important change occurred with the arrival of violinist Angelika Nielsen (listen to Folkit!Nordic Sounds from June 3, 2022). The initially very improvisational music becomes less experimental and more melodic.

Yggdrasil is one of the most prominent formations from the Faroe Islands. Kristian Blak, who was born in Jutland (Denmark) but eventually settled on the Faroe Islands, is a central figure in the music world of said region. He is head of music label Tutl, producer of many albums featuring Faroese musicians and composer of both classical and ballet music, in addition to his contribution to various groups such as Yggdrasil, Kvonn and Spælimenninir. He has also produced recordings under his own name consisting mainly of instrumental piano music.

Truly world music avant la lettre on this episode of Folkit!Nordic Sounds…