Style: Neo-pagan folk, dark folk, neofolk (Clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Sowulo, Heilung, Forndom, Nytt Land
Country: Norway
Release date: 24 January 2025
The bear is among the most fearsome and mystical members of the animal kingdom, its intrigue reaching as deep as spoken language and as high as the cosmos. The word for ‘bear’ in many Indo-European languages is forever lost to time due to its tabooistic nature: Iron Age peoples opted instead to refer to it using epithets such as ‘the brown one’ in Germanic cultures or ‘honey-eater’ in Slavic regions out of fear of summoning the creature by uttering its name. Moreover, the bear commanded much respect in antiquity thanks to its imposing stature. Not one, but two constellations are named in homage to the creature, with origins likely dating back to a prehistoric notion of a she-bear taking part in a cosmic procession known as ‘the great hunt’. Needless to say, humans and bears have a complex relationship whose ties are etched deep into our cultures and consciousness. On their latest album, Birna, renowned folk outfit Wardruna aim to channel this ursine mysticism into calls for a more nature-focused world—does Birna successfully coax the she-bear from her rest, or do Wardruna need more time to hibernate?
A cursory listen of the pre-release singles would lead you to believe that Birna is a sort of career retrospective for Wardruna. After all, “Hertan” (Heart) taps into the soft and trance-inducing rhythmics of Runajlod – Gap Var Ginnunga in its beginning moments; “Birna” (She-Bear) conjures the larger-than-life percussion and bellowing horns that etched out Runaljod – Ragnarok‘s landscapes; and “Hibjørnen” (The ‘Hi-bear-nator’, as it were) showcases the same delicate minimalism as Skald‘s “Voluspá” through a picked lyre and bare vocal performance. Dig a little deeper, though, and one finds that Birna showcases a marked evolution in Wardruna‘s sound: “Himinndotter” (Daughter of the Sky) and “Ljos til Jord” (Light to Earth) experiment with utterly danceable drumbeats in their middle sections; “Dvaledraumar” (Dormant Dreams) and “Jord til Ljos” (Earth to Light) dabble in ethereal and otherworldly neofolk à la Alora Crucible; and “Skuggehesten” (Shadow Steed) is Wardruna‘s darkest piece to date, utilizing industrial rhythmics and gravelly horns to create a sort of bardcore analog to Nine Inch Nails.
Birna recounts the struggles of a person trying to reconnect with nature, the titular she-bear acting as guide and mentor along the way. Hardened by the modern world, ”Hertan” describes the narrator’s desires to molt their carapace—they yearn to cultivate an Animist perspective, asking the she-bear to trade places with them on “Birna” in the hopes of understanding her point of view. The stretch from “Ljos til Jord” to “Jord til Ljos” chronicles the experience of hibernation before being awoken on “Hibjørnen” by the coming of spring and the impassioned calls for the she-bear’s return on “Himinndotter”. Birna’s closing tracks document the narrator’s takeaways from their journey: after being faced with the harsh reality of the she-bear’s impending doom, the narrator must keep focused on what drives them when overwhelmed with a dying world (“Skuggehesten”), take time to slow down and listen to the ‘Voice of the Trees’ (“Tretale”), and retain conviction in the face of imposing challenges (“Lyfjaberg”).
From its opening moments, Birna betrays its heart, literally—a simple heartbeat in 6/8 forms the rhythm of “Hertan”, gradually introducing instrumental layers until a climax is reached mid-track. With a couple of exceptions, “Hertan” establishes the central songwriting conceit of Birna, slowly building on fiery rhythmics that urge to be liberated from their reins. “Himmindotter” shows its most effective execution, a lurching and pronounced chant of ‘BIR! NA!’ exploding into exultant singing to an irresistible percussive dance. Other notable moments include a repeated refrain giving way to a soaring vocal breakdown on “Lyfjaberg” and the scratchy staccato instrumentation of “Skuggehesten”, which fills every corner of the listener’s mind until a flash of reassurance signals through bright strings and hopeful lyricism.
Other tracks experiment with more free-form structures, most notably “Dvaledraumar”, Birna’s oaken crown jewel. Opting instead to use layering as a tool for subtlety as opposed to a tool for tension-and-release, “Dvaledraumar” begins as a gradually shifting ambient piece, evoking a dark and ethereal backdrop that is cut through by Selvik’s voice and a hypnotically teetering lyre. Frigid torpor embodies deep vocals and subtle soundscaping to capture a gloriously plaintive and dreamlike atmosphere, but soon enough, the ice melts, the birds begin singing, and the sun beckons a bleary-eyed hibernator from their cave. “Jord til Ljos” recontextualizes the lyricism and lyre melodies of “Dvaledraumar”,1 embracing the teeming life of early spring yet still trying to shake the cobwebs off after a long rest. “Tretale” aims for a similar free-form structure—and mostly succeeds—but spins its wheels for a hair too long and doesn’t quite end up capturing the intoxicatingly primal atmospheres of “Dvaledraumar” or “Jord til Ljos”.
The issue of ‘historical accuracy’ is a must in the discussion of primal-leaning folk artists, particularly so in the case of Wardruna. Despite frontman Einar Selvik’s myriad comments to the contrary, much of their fanbase sees their music as an authentic vision of ancient Norse (read: ‘viking’) music due to its ineffable chthonic energy and percussion-heavy orchestration. While Wadruna undoubtedly capture an ‘ancient’ and ritualistic atmosphere in their music, it’s fundamentally channeled through a modern-day interpretation of Migration Period Germanic culture. At its musical core, little ties this style of folk music to its ancient ancestry, which typically focused on simple compositions designed for storytelling as opposed to Wardruna‘s cinematic and larger-than-life soundscaping.
However, this somewhat blunt songwriting approach can be seen as a necessity to fully encompass a desired point-of-view—in ancient times, Animist principles were simply lived without thought, but embracing this same perspective in modern times is exceedingly difficult without considerable work. The intentionality in contemporary Animist folk songwriting helps to facilitate a more tangible connection to nature in a society designed to be anything but. Additionally, it would be disingenuous to deem Birna a wholly modern recreation, as it leans on many known ancient Norse practices, like channeling the storied mythology of the she-bear that colors the album’s concept; the seljefløyte on “Dvaledraumar”, a strikingly ephemeral woodwind made from goat willow branches that only lasts a day or two after construction; and the use of lyre on “Dvaledraumar”, “Jord til Ljos”, and “Hibjørnen”, an instrument deeply entrenched in the Migration Period Germanic musical œvre.2
While they may keep an eye to the past, Wardruna’s messages of ecological (and cultural) rehabilitation are a direct product of the here and now, a time when these messages are needed more urgently than ever. Through strikingly cinematic songwriting, soul-bearing vocal performances, and an unwavering desire to cultivate an Animist worldview, Birna opens a powerful dialogue between myriad forces of nature, manifesting through our most celestial and feared of beasts. Many people may feel overwhelmed and powerless at the hands of the modern world’s nightmarish machinations, but Birna serves as a reminder to stop, even for just a little bit, and find solace through a reconnection with our innermost primal selves. Take a moment to walk beside the bear, swim upstream with the fish, and seek counsel from the trees; they may have more to say than you think.
Recommended tracks: Dvaledraumar, Jord til Ljos, Ljos til Jord, Hertan, Himinndotter
You may also like: Nordein, De Mannen Broeders, Alora Crucible, Sangre de Muérdago + Judasz & Nahimana
Final verdict: 9.5/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Sony Music – Facebook | Official Website
Wardruna is:
– Einer Selvik (vocals, all instruments)
– Lindy-Fay Hella (vocals, flute)
– Arne Sandvoll (percussion, vocals)
– HC Dalgaard (percussion, vocals)
– Eilif Gundersen (horns, flutes)
– John Stenersen (moraharpa)
- These themes are recontextualized again on “Hibjørnen”, marking the end of the narrator’s journey alongside the bear. ↩︎
- In the end, I have little opinion either way on whether a modern interpretation or a faithful recreation is better in the context of music—the main takeaway here is to never buy a bridge from a Wardruna fan who tells you their music is authentically ancient. ↩︎
