In recent years there has been a proliferation of interest in Nordic Mythology and associated neofolk with names such as Wardruna, Heilung and Danheim now being well established in alternative music circles. Vévaki will undoubtedly be joining that list in the near future, although there is something subtle but undeniably different about them.
Vévaki’s debut album ‘Edda’ (based on the Old Norse poetic Edda) was primarily a solo project of Will Hunter, with contributions from Sigurboði Grétarsson, Florian Baudrain and Gísli Gunnarsson, and was a stripped back, yet hypnotic affair. Fast forward two years, and we have ‘Fórnspeki’. Will is still at the helm but has now recruited Sigurboði Grétarsson as a full-time member rather than just a contributor and the line-up has been completed by Hrafnhildur Inga Guðjónsdóttir, both bringing more breadth and depth to the sound.
Vévaki are keen to stress that ‘Fórnspeki’ is not about trying to be Vikings, considering their music to be as relevant to modern day heathenism as it is to ancient traditions. Despite this, it is fair to say that a lot of the music is rooted in a more traditional style with instruments such as the lyre, taglharpa and pontian lyra producing rich, hypnotic melodies, augmented by the opulent vocal combinations of the aforementioned trio, building on pulsating drums and sounds of nature.
The result is epic while also being intimate and personal. Of course, there are similarities with other bands, not least Wardruna, but there are elements to the music which give this album its own personality. At times the album is serene and introspective with self-reflection, while at others, such as ‘Heimdalagaldr’, it sound ritualistic in character resulting in an engaging, at times emotional, opus.
Nordic inspired neofolk continues to grow with the “big names” selling out decent sized venues around the world and an ever-increasing number of bands respectfully joining the fold, each bringing their own interpretation of the art form. Vévaki are one of the leading lights in this group and surely ‘Fórnspeki’ will see their fan base grow exponentially in coming months. If Nordic inspired folk/neofolk is your thing, then this is definitely worth a listen.
(8.5/10 Andrew Pountney)
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