«Østerlide» was born when Norwegian guitarist Andreas Haddeland was challenged by his longtime colleague, the Sami musician Ulla Pirttijärvi: Where are you from? What is your music? In order to answer these questions, Haddeland began to search his musical roots. He enlisted for this mission folk singer Liv Ulvik, known from the Nordic á capella folk trio Eplemøya Songlag and percussionist Ulrik Ibsen Thorsrud, who also plays in Haddeland jazz trio. Together they arranged nine timeless songs, stories, and melodies from the rich Norwegian, stressing how centuries-old folk tradition keep shaping and evolving.
Ulvik’s warm, crystal-clear vocals and her caressing, melodic delivery are at the center and articulates the traditional essence of these tunes but Haddeland and Ibsen Thorsrud embrace her vocals with gentle, spacious, and highly nuanced sonic envelopes. The traditional tune from Hordaland «Nu rinder solen opp av østerlide» is dressed with light, ambient guitar lines. The tune from Telemark «Villemann og Magnill» receives a playful call-and-response arrangement by Haddeland and Ibsen Thorsrud. «Signelita», a traditional tune after Åste Tinnes, from Telemark, becomes an atmospheric, mysterious soundscape, highlighting the exotic Afghan Rubab playing of Haddeland. The traditional tune from Sogn «Dagen viger og går bort» deepens this quiet, meditative vein.
«Nykkjen», a traditional tune after Andres Lavik, from Eksingedalen, Hordaland, sail into rough, distorted waters. «Varulven», a traditional tune after Hulda Johansen and Kirsten Bråten Berg, soars into dramatic, dark and tense skies. «Litle fuglen» still keep the compassionate innocence of the original traditional song. «Inga Litimor» a traditional tune after Andres Lavik, again from Eksingedalen, Hordaland, is dressed in completely modern rhythmic fabrics. The last tune «Farvel min venn», to lyrics by Marie Kristiansen, Valdres , enjoys a joyful, sunny Mediterranean melody.
Together they have found an expression that dresses the folk melodies in new clothes, of sore, light, dark, strong and rough fabrics. In open musical landscapes or claustrophobic musical spaces, the listener is always carried along by the timeless folk melodies that have been shaped over the centuries.
Eyal Hareuveni
Liv Ulvik (v), Andreas Haddeland (g, b, rubab, perc), Ulrik Ibsen Thorsrud (dr, perc, glockenspiel, saw)
