Location: Sweden
Members: Linnea Hjertén (everything; also active in Shaam Larein) + samples by Ludvig Swärd (Forndom)
Production & mix: Linnea Hjertén
Mastering: Tore Stjerna (Necromorbus Studio)
Type: digital + CD (jewel-case + booklet)
Duration: 35:40
Genre: esoteric Nordic Folk
Swedish artist Linnea Hjertén debuts on Nordvis Produktion with Nio Systrar, which means ‘nine sisters’. It is, dixit the biography, a wordless invocation of primordial energy - a psychoacoustic gateway to altered states of consciousness. It refers to the eternal cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth, conceptually being influenced by her activities within spiritualism and ritualism. The essence deals with resurrection, or rebirth, after (symbolic) death, with a new beginning after a former ending, or with ‘old’ getting replaced by ‘new’, both literally (as part of the circle of life) and figuratively (referring to spiritual evolution and a quest for transcendental knowledge). (another excerpt from the bio) the compositions had initially served a wide range of purposes: as grounding forces, as enhancements of energies, and as manifestations of intent to release that which no longer served her…
Linnea uses ‘Music’ as sonic expression of her ideas, feelings, state of mind. It’s an intuitive process to canalize the Inner Eye through aural execution. And when listening to this (beautiful) material deeply, intensely, profoundly, one might feel the combination of magic and immateriality, of desolation and imagination. Therefor, this nine hymns are like a tool to express this artist’s visionary, ritualistic and spiritual settings, with each composition being a sonic definition of ethereal illusion.
Purely factual and objective, Nio Systrar is based on multiple voices and traditional instruments. These instruments come from different sources, mainly percussions and strings, while the vocal parts are choirlike, elegant and mesmerizing. That’s a dry description, I admit…
More profoundly, these hymnic efforts are creations of introspective nature, with ‘introspection’ seen as an expression of both ritualistic ceremonies and tribal esotery. All nine of them are an organic gathering of transcendental sounds, archaic harmonies, bewitching spells and hypnotic patterns. The music arises from inner sounds and structures, which Linnea tries to concretize through voice and instrument.
The wordless chants are both enigmatic and seductive. There’s always one major line, joined by one or more supplementary chants. Often, the result is like a polyphonic choir-like thing with a neo-classical elegance. It’s remarkable how easy it seems to combine fragility with vim, contemplation with desire, and sobriety with passion. Words aren’t necessary to express the captivating poetry behind this recording.
Instrument-wise, the many strings and wonderful percussions (and even some synths / organ) guide the listener, alongside the voices, through Folk-based aesthetics, creating a dense, wintery, yet somehow illuminated atmosphere. It might work hypnotic, then again meditative, accompanying the listener’s spirit towards (dream) worlds of revelation, acceptance, even transcendence and mental levitation. Several fragments are quite monotone, yet behind it there’s a fruitful richness of sphere, of intent, of acumen. Some pieces are energetic and decisive, while others delve deep into the innermost tranquility of the consciousness. Yet throughout the whole album, the explicit semi-ceremonial character remains vindicated.
The biography does refer to Dead Can Dance (the ethereal beauty), Kari Rueslåtten (the spellbinding chants) and Forndom (the minimalist Nordic atmosphere). Well, with that last comparison, I can live. Linnea Hjertén’s debut indeed might be comparable to some of the earlier works by Forndom for sure. It is not a coincidence either, I guess, that Forndom’s Ludvig contributed during the final recording sessions (at least, while providing sampled additions). I think acts like Lůn, Krzywdy, Beckahesten, Hagalaz Runedance and even Enya might be a good direction too. And once in a while, why not, you might enjoy subtle hints of Wardruna, Grande Loge or Nytt Land as well, I guess.
https://linneahjerten.bandcamp.com/album/nio-systrar
https://www.nordvis.com/cd-c-22/linnea-hjerten-nio-systrar-cd-p-1501
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ceht5_AkiPI