High Notes

Norwegian folk singer Øyonn Groven Myhren’s newest album Gullveven (from the Etnisk Musikklubb label) is a collection of medieval Scandinavian ballads, sung in a straight-forward, traditional style. The sound is strange to the American ear, but pleasant in its simplicity and peacefulness.

 

The instrumentation is light (several tracks are performed a cappella), and the focus is solidly on Myhren’s vocals. At times, there’s a crystalline quality to her voice that feels a bit desolate, seeming to evoke the coldness of her native land. Elsewhere, playfulness reigns—track 6, “Jomfrua og fanten,” skips along like a child’s rhyme. Similarly, the quirky accompaniment on track 10, “Jenta som skulle skjera stra,” makes it feel like a whirl on the carnival carousel, cotton candy in hand. Other tracks sound like lullabies, taking listeners back to their cradle days.

When Myhren’s voice turns mournful, the sound is reminiscent of Celtic balladry. Track 3, “Hermod Unge og gygri” calls Loreena McKennitt’s “The Highwayman” to mind. Track 11, “Grisilla og Kong Ridder,” pairs a fiddle with delicate vocals. Myhren’s a cappella pieces are particularly haunting—the silence that frames each phrase is as compelling as any instrument accompaniment.

Bottom line: Myhren is singer in complete control of her instrument and material. Her emotive style will make you wish you spoke Norwegian just so you could understand the stories she tells.

Download the whole album or just your favorite songs at Amazon.com.

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