Dímun – Kristian Blak & Yggdrasil

Description

About Dímun

Composistions by Angelika Hansen (under the name Angelika Nielsen) and Kristian Blak.

Dímun is a suite of nine pieces relating to Stóra Dímun, one of the 18 islands in the Faroe Islands archipelago. Stóra Dímun is the smallest of these islands that is inhabited. According to the Faroese linguist Jákup Jakobsen, ‘Dímun’ may represent a pre-Norse, Celtic place name element, ‘di’ meaning ‘two’.

“Eva and Jón í Dímun, the farmers of Stóra Dímun, sent us a list of several place names in the island, from which Angelika and Kristian chose some for inspiration”

Tracklist:

1. Glottar í mjørka (Angelika Nielsen) – ‘breaks in the fog’.
2. Átufressurin (Kristian Blak) – the glutton place’. On the east side of Dímun, there is a fertile place where sheep sometimes sneak down to eat: unfortunately they can’t get up again. In order to look down there to see if some sheep are in trouble, you step out onto a spot named Átufressurin. The wind instrument heard in the introduction is a hollow stem of a hvonn plant (Angelica archangelica) that Kristian found on the highest part of Dímun, where it was blown by the wind.
3. Brimgjáir (Angelika Nielsen) – ‘the ravines of breaking waves’.
4. Templið í Skor (Kristian Blak) – ‘the temple in Grønuskor’. A rock formation in Grønuskor resembling a temple. (skor: grass-covered projecting part of a steep bird cliff)
5. Døgg og Sproti (Angelika Nielsen) – Døgg and Sproti are the young children of Eva and Jógvan Jón í Dímun. Angelika is their violin teacher.
6. Øssursdrangur (Kristian Blak) – ‘Øssur’s Sea Stack’ is named after the mighty Øssur Havgrímsson. He was killed by Sigmundur Brestisson in 988 on the farm in Skúvoy  where he lived. Øssur wanted to be buried on top of the drangur, so that he still could enjoy the places he loved so much. According to the medieval dance ballad ‘Sigmundskvæðið eldri’ his last words were:
   “Tær skulu føra meg vestur á drang
   Høvdið skal venda mót Grønuskor.
   Føturnar til og høvdið frá
   So eg má aftur í skorina sjᔓThey should take me west to the drangur
   My head should be turned towards Grønuskor.
   My feet pointing towards it and my head away
   So that I may look back into the skor”
7. Steinurin í Íðu (Angelika Nielsen) – ‘the rock in the current’ & Skorarheyggjurin (Angelika Nielsen) – ‘the mound/hill in skor‘. Musically, the rock itself is represented by the bass ostinato, while the violin melodies whirl around this rock in the ocean.
8. Dímun (Kristian Blak)

Recorded May 2014 at Studio Bloch, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.

Mixed at Bunkarin, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.

Photos by Absalon Hansen (front), Jógvan Jón Petersen (back), Anfinn Frederiksen (inside).

Design by Heiðrik á Heygum.

This recording was made possible by grants from Landspening KODAs, Gramexgrunnurin and Mentanrgrunnur Landsins.

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