Knút

About Hjartasláttur

“Knút Háberg Eysturstein has been a central figure in Faroese music life for more than two decades now. As a musician, programmer, producer, scholar and all around „doer“. He was one of the main instigators of the “Millenium Revolution” in Faroese music culture, where a younger generation of musicians brought progressive, creative leanings into a somewhat stagnated music life. In the aftermath, his deft touch has coloured the bands he‘s worked with as his solo work, beginning with Havsglóð (2004) and followed up with The Desert Holds A Flower (2009) and On High (2013). Varied affairs stylistically but bound together with his unique, heartfelt take on what pop/rock music should be and could be.

Hjartasláttur (e. Heartbeat) is something else though. Knút has never dug deeper into his psyche and the album unfolds like a meditative journey into his home country where convoluted, often paradoxical feelings arise. Can two hearts, Knút’s and the Faroese one, beat as one?

The music absolutely mirrors this. Can I start with saying that it’s simply beautiful? The tracks positively glide in a strong, dignified manner but there’s a discernible vulnerability and sensitivity to them at the same time. Knút is open and courageous. The guard is down. And his singing voice is gorgeous I have to say, mining the heartfelt subjects gracefully.

There are shades of Sigur Ros, Talk Talk and David Sylvian in some of the passages and an undiscernible, Faroese folk/hymnal streak running through all of this. A lived-in music that Knút undeniably breathes. You can also hear touches of the classic, Faroese pop music of yesteryear that’s part of his DNA. Elegant, moving and melodic music for sure but at times it’s broken up with noisy guitar crescendos, possibly to accentuate the struggles that colour the lyrical themes.

Faith, formal or otherwise, is also a big thing here, addressed through lyrics and music, see e.g. “Sálmur” (e. psalm). What is true, what is life and how should we manoeuvre all of this? Grand themes, exquisitely brought out just like the album as a whole. Incredible.” – Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen, sociomusicologist and critic.

Tracklist:
1. Himnafar
2. Tú ert
3. Villiniborg
4. Hjartasláttur
5. Ogn
6. Vit sótu við havið
7. Sálmur
8. Náðisólin
9. Vøgguvísa

Released on the following formats:
LP and digitally on all major platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.). You can check it out by using this link: https://bfan.link/hjartaslattur