Umbra – Bjargrúnir (Nordic Notes / Dimma, 2022)
Umbra’s Bjargrúnir is a profound exploration into the heart of Icelandic folk music. This excellent fourth record delves into a rich set of influences. It draws fascinating material from silver records, tape-recordings of Iðunn from the Icelandic Rímur Society, Reverend Bjarni Þorsteinsson’s folk song collection, Vésteinn Ólason’s ballad book, and tape-records from prestigious institutions like the National Museum of Iceland and the Árni Magnússon Institute, alongside private collections.
Notably, folk songs, being passed through generations, undergo a metamorphosis, shaping themselves in different performances before crystallizing in written and recorded forms. Embracing this dynamic nature, Umbra crafts their own interpretation of Icelandic traditional music, with a focus on women’s experiences, a subject often underexplored in historical sources.
Venturing into the ancient counsel of Valkyrie Sigurdrífa, the ensemble composes new music, drawing inspiration from the Ballad of the Victory-Bringer. The poetry spans centuries, from the 13th to the 19th, exploring distinct themes that illustrate Iceland’s climate, rural life, natural forces, and generational traumas.
Umbra includes four talented female musicians, Alexandra Kjeld, double bass and vocals; Arngerður María Árndóttir, Celtic harp, organ, and vocals; Guðbjörg Hlín Guðmundsdóttir, violin and vocals; and Lilja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir, lead singer, percussion, and flutes. The ensemble was formed in 2014 and their vision is to create a unique musical world materialized with a repertoire featuring sacred and secular medieval tunes, traditional songs, and contemporary works by Icelandic composers.
From their debut album Out of Darkness in 2018 to the award-winning Solstitium in the same year, followed by Llibre vermell in 2019 and the EP Jólatíð / Yuletide in 2021, Umbra has consistently pushed boundaries. Critically acclaimed as one of Iceland’s most intriguing ensembles, their musical ambition and addicting masterfully crafted arrangements of early and traditional music have garnered praise.
Buy Bjargrúni.
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.