Musical Soundscapes With EINAR SELVIK From WARDRUNA

Wardruna is a Norwegian music constellation dedicated to weaving
together the ancient sounds and traditions of the North into a
modern soundscape using a broad selection of both traditional and
historical Nordic instruments. The band utilises non-traditional
instruments and other sources of sound such as trees, stones,
bones, water and fire to enhance the nature of the theme being
‘portrayed’ in each case.
Over five previous albums, Wardruna have captivated audiences on a
global scale with the sheer majesty of their music, breathing life
into tradition by way of sonic inspiration like never before. For
album number six, Birna, Wardruna - particularly main composer
Einar Selvik - chose to focus on the bear, an animal which has
great power and respect amongst many societies, including
Norwegian.
HEAVY spent some time with Selvik to speak about Birna, which will
be released on January 24, 2025, and Wardruna's debut Australian
visit that same month.
"It's a musical project dedicated to creating music using a wide
selection of the oldest instruments we have from predominantly the
Nordic region," he explained of the band. "It's not recreating
music from any specific time period, it's more about taking
something old and creating something new with it. We just finished
up in studio hibernation, finishing our sixth studio album entitled
Birna - Birna meaning she bear. It is set for release in January
next year, so basically when we are Down Under!"
In the full interview, we discussed Birna in greater detail,
including the cultural and historical significance of the bear in
various societies. Selvik explained that bears often play a
significant role in myths and traditions, being seen as teachers,
wardens, or shepherds of the woodlands. Einar also mentioned that
bears are associated with celestial beings, such as the Greek star
sign named after the bear.
We spoke about the different instruments used and their impact on
the music, blending ancient ideologies and instruments with modern
soundscapes, the live DVD/Blu-Ray release from the world heritage
site Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis, Athens, touring Australia
for the first time, what we can expect and more.

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