New EP out this Christmas on streaming platforms - Jólatíð / Yuletide

We just released our brand new Christmas EP - Jólatíð / Yuletide - featuring 3 Christmas songs. One of them, Himnablessun, is an original composition of ours and was commissioned by the National Public Radio in 2021 as the NPR station’s Rás 1 Christmas Song of the Year, and was premiered on National Radio on Christmas Day. We finally get to release it on our own, and included on the EP two other traditional Christmas songs deriving from the 18th and 16th centuries.

HERE you can have a listen to the EP Jólatíð / Yuletide on Spotify. Wishing you happy holidays!

More recordings and ASCENSION MMXXI

We are in the process of editing and mixing a couple of favorite christmas songs that we will be releasing very soon on streaming platforms. But more recently, and to our immense pleasure, we just performed last weekend at the ASCENSION MMXXI FESTIVAL ICELAND, a 4-day eclectic experience with emphasis on Icelandic and international metal. What a community, what a line-up. We had an absolute blast and we we have to give praise to the organizers being able to organize a near flawless celebration of music despite the worldwide cituation.

Netherlands Tour '21

We just came back from a lovely concert tour in the Netherlands, where we played three shows in Deventer, Lichtenwoorde and in Rotterdam, organized by our friends in Vox Interna and In Goede Handen. We also hosted a workshop in Lichtenwoorde, where we introduced Icelandic traditional music and some early and traditional music performances. Our final concert at the historic Pelgrimvaderskerk was then recorded and broadcasted by Dutch National Radio (NPO Radio 4). We have many beautiful souvenirs from the Netherlands, thankful to have met so many lovely people and new friends and we look forward to be back!

From the scenic Bergkerk, Deventer, 08.10.2021. Photography: Franck Ligtenberg

Recording session 2021 in the bag!

We just came back from a 5 day intense recording session at Reykholt, home of 12th century poet Snorri Sturluson. We recorded in the warm acoustics of the Reykholt Church and managed to cover a lot of material, Icelandic traditional music - folk songs, ballads and original compositions. Some of these tunes have become favorites of ours and we can’t wait to let audiences hear the outcome. We recorded with our favorite recording producer/Tonmeister Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir, and enjoyed the talents of our percussionist friends Eggert Pálsson and Matthías Hemstock on a few tracks.

Trad album team 2021! UMBRA with recording producer Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir and percussionist Matthías Hemstock. Missing from the photo is percussionist Eggert Pálsson.

Back from NKS2021 in Helsinki

We are now back home from Helsinki after two performances in Helsinki, a streaming live concert from the Helsinki Cathedral where we performed a Nordic/European sacred programme, see the programme here, and a performance during the High Sunday Mass at St John’s Church (Johanneksenkirkko), televised in September on the Finnish National Television, see here.

Here is a news article in Swedish with a little information on us and the other performers during the symposium.

A streaming performance from the NKS2021 Symposium in Helsinki, Finland. Photo: Timo Vikman