Norwegian vocalist Liv Ulvik specializes in the Norwegian solo song tradition, but she also collaborates in other far-reaching projects as the a á-capella trio Eplemøya Songlag, The West-African-tinged Offroad quartet, the medieval La Chimera – Nordlys ensemble and the Al Andaluz group. «Inn Vade»is her debut solo album. Like her other projects, «Inn Vade» enriches the Norwegian song tradition with an original instrumentation that borrows from the chamber classical and the jazz worlds.

Ulvik wrote all the songs – all sung in Norwegian – and composed all the music. She picked a pile of poems and texts that rested in her desk drawer for years and let the Norwegian lyrics set the atmosphere of this project, surrendering to their claustrophobic, grotesque but also humorous images.

«Inn Vade» offers a timeless experience. Tradition and modernity, old and new are weaved seamlessly through beautiful, peaceful arrangements. Estonian traditional dance tunes, «Du ser og ser» and «Dukk under», relocate easily to the Norwegian fjords. «Bumerang» plays with a theme from a traditional Norwegian dancing tune and «Mitt mantra» borrows a theme from a traditional waltz. Ulvik delivers these songs with her warm, gentle voice and natural, charming elegance. Trombonist Kristoffer Kompen and percussionist Terje Engen charge Ulvik delicate arrangements with leisured, dramatic tension while harpist Ida Aubert Bang and cellist Kristine Solberg introduce playful ideas to these songs. Songs like «Troll i eske», «Stakkars deg med harpunen» and the emotional reading of «Vade inn mot land» already sound as an organic expansion of the Norwegian rich folk song tradition.

Eyal Hareuveni

Liv Ulvik (v), Kristoffer Kompen (tb), Ida Aubert Bang (harp), Kristine Solberg (c), Terje Engen (perc)