HELENE BLUM & HARALD HAUGAARD BAND ~ Strømmen
![[Image: R-16019534-1601996133-3019.jpeg.jpg]](https://img.discogs.com/nFIXSaM9F_ldooG0oo0qNlqD13k=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-16019534-1601996133-3019.jpeg.jpg)
This is beautiful IMHO. Not something you listen to with your intellect. A Danish band with Helene Blum and Harald Haurgaard at the forefront – she has one of those true, clear voices - perfect pitch - crystalline yet warm, and he’s a violin virtuoso. I’ve never listened to any thing of theirs before – they’ve historically been focused on Danish folk music and there is that here too, but it’s interpreted in a modern guise and transcribes gorgeously, to my ears at any rate! Nothing staid or stilted about anything on this album.
The title translates directly either to ‘stream’ or ‘power’/’electricity’ so my perception is that this album speaks of flow and current, of things both ancient and new, the weaving of the storyteller and the passing along through the ages of a musical heritage, a continuous river of sparkling, unstoppable yet gentle force. The magic – a universal language posing no barrier even while not understanding a word. Well ... maybe one, lol! The hearing of this has nothing to do with the analytical brain – it’s all heart and feel. Not sure who all the musicians are yet - lovely cello, piano and guitar, and great imaginative percussion – double bass weighing in too – you hardly notice it but if it wasn’t there, the whole thing would be so much the poorer. Haugaard’s violin is simply stunning.
A technically accomplished album emanating oodles of joy without being frivolous, along with the inevitable touches of Northern gloom which may seem paradoxical, but perhaps there can be joy in gloom too - or perhaps a bit of darkness is essential to show off the light. Musical chiaroscuro? I dunno, but as a result, enough complexity, gravitas and colour to hold it firmly in place - there is actually a track titled "Angst". Soul food.
Agonising over which track to post so have decided to go with the title track. And having said that, there are a couple of instrumentals in amongst the sung so here’s a sample of one of them - "Carls Vals" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-XexCmW6Go
Oh what the heck - here's another one "Dansevise" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-XexCmW6Go - in fact - here's the full album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89yL6oDD...Rjhwmv9MV0
"Strømmen"
This is beautiful IMHO. Not something you listen to with your intellect. A Danish band with Helene Blum and Harald Haurgaard at the forefront – she has one of those true, clear voices - perfect pitch - crystalline yet warm, and he’s a violin virtuoso. I’ve never listened to any thing of theirs before – they’ve historically been focused on Danish folk music and there is that here too, but it’s interpreted in a modern guise and transcribes gorgeously, to my ears at any rate! Nothing staid or stilted about anything on this album.
The title translates directly either to ‘stream’ or ‘power’/’electricity’ so my perception is that this album speaks of flow and current, of things both ancient and new, the weaving of the storyteller and the passing along through the ages of a musical heritage, a continuous river of sparkling, unstoppable yet gentle force. The magic – a universal language posing no barrier even while not understanding a word. Well ... maybe one, lol! The hearing of this has nothing to do with the analytical brain – it’s all heart and feel. Not sure who all the musicians are yet - lovely cello, piano and guitar, and great imaginative percussion – double bass weighing in too – you hardly notice it but if it wasn’t there, the whole thing would be so much the poorer. Haugaard’s violin is simply stunning.
A technically accomplished album emanating oodles of joy without being frivolous, along with the inevitable touches of Northern gloom which may seem paradoxical, but perhaps there can be joy in gloom too - or perhaps a bit of darkness is essential to show off the light. Musical chiaroscuro? I dunno, but as a result, enough complexity, gravitas and colour to hold it firmly in place - there is actually a track titled "Angst". Soul food.
Agonising over which track to post so have decided to go with the title track. And having said that, there are a couple of instrumentals in amongst the sung so here’s a sample of one of them - "Carls Vals" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-XexCmW6Go
Oh what the heck - here's another one "Dansevise" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-XexCmW6Go - in fact - here's the full album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89yL6oDD...Rjhwmv9MV0
"Strømmen"
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson