Erlend Apneseth – Song over støv – Hubro, 2025)
On Song over Støv (“Song over Dust”) Hardanger fiddle player and composer Erlend Apneseth bridges folk tradition and contemporary art music. Known for his genre-defying style, Apneseth once again assembles an elite ensemble drawn from Norway’s jazz, folk, and experimental scenes. The result is a mixture of structured and graceful music with experimental, improvised music.
The project originated as a commissioned work for Oslo World and Riksscenen in 2023. Apneseth built on his experience in Frode Haltli’s Avant Folk. He expanded his compositional scope, writing for a large band of 11 musicians. The material evolved in performance before being recorded at Amper Tone Studio in August 2024 with engineer Bård Ingebrigtsen. The album was co-produced by Anja Lauvdal and Apneseth.
Apneseth composed with each performer’s voice in mind, prioritizing individual expression over instrumental convention. A central idea was to build a “core” of fiddles to assert traditional elements, such as ornamentation and springar rhythms, within the dense textures of a large ensemble.
While the album shares aesthetic terrain with Apneseth’s 2017 release Nattsongar, it also draws from personal memories. Childhood travels to remote regions and early exposure to international music at Førde Festival shaped the music’s atmospheric and cross-cultural tone. According to Apneseth, Song over Støv reflects a desire to reconnect with those formative sensory impressions and the layered pasts that live within both individuals and traditions.
Musicians: Erlend Apneseth on hardanger fiddle; Selma French Bolstad, Helga Myhr, and Rasmus Kjorstad on hardanger fiddles, vocals (Kjorstad also plays octave fiddle and fiddle); Henriette Eilertsen on flutes;
Anja Lauvdal on synthesizer, reed organ; Frode Haltli on accordion; Rolf-Erik Nystrøm on saxophones; Mats Eilertsen on double bass; Hans Hulbækmo and Veslemøy Narvesen on drums and percussion.
Recorded by Bård Ingebrigtsen at Amper Tone in August 2024.
“Samdrøm” was recorded by Asle Karstad at Nasjonalmuseet in February 2023 and by Fridtjof A. Lindeman at Riksscenen in November 2023.
Produced by Anja Lauvdal and Erlend Apneseth.
Mixed by Bård Ingebrigtsen.
Mastered by Fridtjof A. Lindeman at Svenska Grammofonstudion.
Track list:
- Straumen forbi (7:11) (The Current Passing By )
- I natt (3:12) (Tonight)
- Song over støv (8:54) (Song over Dust )
- Spring (5:31) (Run)
- Trø (2:30) (Step)
- Samdrøm (7:13) (Shared Dream)
Buy Song over Støv.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.