July 24, 2021 — It has been a few busy days for fans of Nordic folk music — artists seem to be revving up for autumn and winter. Over the course of last week, news of upcoming albums and the haunting auditory delights of new tracks filtering into the Kurgan Compass™ sphere of awareness. Mark Ottarp provides a full roundup.

Artists like Bjorth, Danheim, Osi and the Jupiter, and Herknungr have worked hard to appease their respective fanbases with newly created music that rings true to their unique and traditional sound.

Bjorth Released New Single ‘Origin’

“Medieval-Norse” folk artist Bjorth helped kick off a good week for the neofolk scene with his single ‘Origin’. Subduing energy from Bjorth’s previous release ‘Midgard Rising’, ‘Origin’ also carries the signature sound the German-based artist is best known for. Soft and gentle vocals give depth to the track’s opening minute before a beautiful blend of classic neofolk sounds kicks in. Like most (if not all) of Bjorth’s music, new single ‘Origin’ is available on the project’s official Bandcamp and Spotify.

Cover art from Bjorth’s new single.

Danheim Surprise-Dropped ‘Domadagr’ LP

The rhythmic pounding of drums has gotten stronger on Spotify, YouTube, and Bandcamp as Copenhagen resident and Nordic dark folk artist Danheim recently released his new Domadagr. The 13-track album pulls from the expected historical inspiration of Viking tradition to tell its story. Tracks like the namesake ‘Domadagr’ launch right into the often-haunting sounds of Nordic music and set the stage for what Danheim has in store for the rest of the new LP. Domadagr’s closing track, ‘Havkrydser’ wraps everything up nicely, concluding the auditory journey Domadagr is sure to take listeners on. Danheim’s newest album is available for purchase on his official Bandcamp as a single purchase or as part of a 50-set digital discography. Expect a Kurgan Compass review to appear soon.

Danheim’s new album ‘Domedagr’.

Herknungr Offered Up Four-Track Album

Not to be left out of the week’s excitement, Herknungr stepped in with Primordialis, a four-track album inspired by the primitive sounds of Norse folklore. “Primordial Human,” “Accumulated Wisdom,” “Natura,” and the namesake track teleport listeners to a simpler, albeit more dangerous age by cleverly using chanting, didgeridoos, and jaw harps to fill each track. Despite only being four songs long, the album clocks in at just under 30-minutes. It is an epic quest from start to finish, brought to life through an intoxicating rhythm that guides listeners along with the quartet of tracks. Primordialis can be purchased on Herkanungr’s Bandcamp. The artist also has an extensive discography of all its Bandcamp content, which includes Primordialis and previously released tracks and albums.

New Single ‘Wights’ From Osi and the Jupiter; Title of Forthcoming Album ‘Stave’ Revealed

In anticipation of its upcoming album, Stave, Osi and the Jupiter released a new single, ‘Wights’. Melodic vocals overlay an arrangement of strings and percussions in the latest track, which will be available on all digital and physical copies of Stave when it releases on August 27, 2021. Vinyl is no longer an option for many artists because of logistical problems in the wake of COVID, hence Osi and the Jupiter have opted for a Limited Edition Cassette available in three colors for the physical release of Stave. The cassette comes with the full digital release, and preorders unlock unlimited access to ‘Wights’ and ‘Folk of the Woods’ a slightly Americana-folksy track straight off of Stave which we have written of here.

Osi and the Jupiter provided new song ‘Wights‘.

A selection of the above-mentioned tracks has been added to the Kurgan Compass™ Spotify playlist which readers can listen to or follow here.