Erlend Viken Trio – Ville Veier (Wild Roads) (Heilo / Grappa, 2024)
The Erlend Viken Trio’s latest album Ville Veier is an enthralling journey through Norwegian folk music, infused with modern sensibilities. It is a bold and innovative follow-up to their celebrated Fete slåtta.
Notably, Ville Veier presents a vigorous mix of styles grounded in Norway’s folk heritage yet expansive enough to incorporate rock, desert blues, and free-flowing improvisation. Moreover, the trio’s technical expertise and deep emotional connection to their music shine throughout the album.
From the moment the opening track begins, the sounds of Erlend Viken’s hardanger fiddle pull you into a sound that feels as ancient as the fjords. The album’s strength lies not only in its rootedness in tradition but also in its fearless exploration of new sounds. Sondre Meisfjord’s double bass lays down grooves that are as much at home in a jazz club as they are in a folk festival, adding a robust, rhythmic foundation to Viken’s fiddling. And when Juhani Silvola’s lovely electric guitar weaves in, the trio creates an expansive, almost cinematic intermingling of folk and modern music.
Tracks like “Roadsterbassgangarhalling,” contributed by Meisfjord, highlight the trio’s ability to amalgamate disparate genres with grace. The title itself hints at the Norwegian halling tradition.
Meanwhile, “Mingus Lullaby,” written for the trio’s puppy, offer a tender moment of respite amid the album’s more animated offerings. “It was very charming to have a little puppy running around during rehearsals, but also a bit annoying when it started chewing on everything it found, like Marius’s guitar cable. But as soon as we started playing, Mingus found peace and lay down to sleep, and this particular tune had a calming effect on him,” Erlend shared.
On “Road from Glasgow,” a track born out of the trio’s experience performing at the Celtic Connections festival, the influence of Scottish folk becomes most apparent, with the piece’s fast-paced rhythm and lively energy feeling like a celebration of the festival’s spirit.
Producer Olav Torget, who also plays the African konting (ngoni) on several tracks, has played a key role in arranging and shaping the album’s sound.
The album also features rising folk music star Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen on vocals. Erlend Viken said: “Synnøve joined us in the studio one day and participated on two tracks. It’s very exciting and inspiring to work with Synnøve. In addition to having a strong grounding in traditional music, she’s curious and open to exploring new directions.”
Erlend added: “Ville Veier is a continuation of our musical explorations together as a trio. Those who have listened to previous albums will recognize the soundscape, but hopefully, they will also hear new nuances in the material, arrangements, and instrumentation.”
The album was recorded at Athletic Sound by Dag Erik Johannesen, produced and mixed by Olav Torget, and mastered by Espen Høydalsvik at Oslo:Fuzz.
Musicians: Erlend Viken on fiddle and Hardanger fiddle; Marius Graff on electric guitar and banjo; and Sondre Meisfjord on double bass.
Guests: Olav Torget: konting on tracks 2, 5, and 7; and Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen on vocals on tracks 5 and 7.
Concerts Fall 2024:
Oct 17: Huset, Aalborg
Oct 18: Gyngen, Aarhus
Oct 19: FolkAmok, Copenhagen
Oct 23: Oseana, Os
Oct 24: Osafestivalen, Voss
Oct 25: Sogndal Kulturhus
Oct 26: Pederhuset, Breim
Oct 30: Nøtterøy Kulturhus
Oct 31: Halden Kulturhus
Nov 1: Dunk, Oslo
Nov 21: Operahuset, Nordfjord
Release Date: October 25th, 2024
Buy Ville Veier.
Author: Madison Quinn
