[Cover photo credit to Die Frau]
French Nordic Folk collective SKÁLD will return January 20th, 2023 with their third full-length album Huldufolk, via Decca Records France / Decca Records U.S. (UMG), which in English translates to “the hidden people.” The album shares “the myths and legends of Scandinavian poets and shamans with tales of otherworldly beings coexisting with humankind”. Sung entirely in Old Norse, the album transports audiences to “a land inhabited by weird and wonderful creatures, and mysteries with its poetic and epic soundscape”.
Huldufolk was composed and produced by the collective’s mastermind Christophe Voisin-Boisvinet and features over a dozen musicians and songwriters using traditional Nordic instrumentation such as the nyckelharpa, Moraharpa, Lyre, Talharpa and hurdy-gurdy alongside shamanic percussion and Nordic chants.
SKÁLD have shared the first glimpse of the album with its debut single “Troll Kalla Mik” (“They Call Me Troll”). Its music video delves into the lore of the “Huldufolk” and one’s dangerous journey into their realm illustrating a dance of two powerful spirits, light and darkness.
They explain:
In Icelandic folklore, to cross the lands and forests of the hidden people is to risk losing one’s life and become trapped in a bewitching elven circle. If one does attempt to enter their realm, they become entranced and caught in a hellish loop of dance until they succumb to exhaustion, oblivion or death.
Formed in 2018, SKÁLD have performed across several of Europe’s major festivals including Hellfest (FR), Wacken (DE), Rock Oz’Arenes (CH), Motorcultor Festival (FR) and recently completed a headlining tour across Europe.
Through their music, SKÁLD take inspiration from the poetry of the ancient skalds who sang and told stories of the Vikings and their gods. Their music is characterized by singing in Old Norse and the use of ancient instruments.
