Though her new album was inspired by the dark and heavy winters of her homeland, Eivør is hot on the heels of the most successful North American tour in her long, celebrated career. Last month, the Faroese superstar sold out half of the dates on her headlining tour of North America in support of ENN with fellow Nordic luminary and Season of Mist labelmate Sylvaine.
“Every note, every story, every emotion conveyed was a testament to why she is one of the most compelling voices in music today”, mxdwn wrote after her sold-out show in Los Angeles.
“stunning, thick with mysticism” The Vinyl District wrote in praise of her sold-out show in Silver Springs, Maryland. “The fans at the Fillmore – many of whom arrived in Nordic costume – loved it and I did too”.
Eivør isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Starting this week, she’s once again joining Heilung as the world-renowned Nordic collective tour the UK, Ireland and Europe. Then this fall, she will embark on another headline tour of Europe behind ENN, this time with her friend, special guest and iconic Icelandic artist Ásgeir, along with her sister Elinborg.
“I am so honored to be sharing the stage with my incredible friend Ásgeir on my upcoming European headline tour”, Eivør says. “He’s one of the most talented artists of the Nordics and I have always loved his music dearly. And I am equally thrilled and excited to have my talented sister Elinborg along on this tour as well. I can’t wait for these special shows”.
“I’m very much looking forward to being a part of this tour” says Ásgeir. “Me and Eivør have become good friends through the years and I’ve admired her talent for a long time. I sure we’re going to have a lot of fun touring Europe together playing at some of my favorite venues in the world.”
March 7 – Helsinki, FI @ Ice Hall – TICKETS March 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hovet – TICKETS March 12 – Oslo, NO @ Spektrum – TICKETS March 14 – Aarhus, DK @ ACC – TICKETS March 16 – Copenhagen, DK @ Black Box – TICKETS March 19 – Oberhausen, DE @ Turbinehalle – TICKETS March 21 – Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion – TICKETS March 23 – Esch-Sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal – TICKETS April 15 – London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy – TICKETS April 17 – Dublin, IE @ 3 Arena – TICKETS April 19 – Edinburgh, UK @ O2 Academy – TICKETS April 21 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo – TICKETS April 23 – Lille, FR @ Zenith Aerna – TICKETS April 25 – Lyon, FR @ Halle Tony Garnier – TICKETS April 27 – Milan, IT @ Teatro Arcimboldi – TICKETS
Eivør European Headlining Tour with Special Guest Ásgeir + support from Elinborg
September 19 – Ghent, De Vooruit, BE – TICKETS September 25 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso TICKETS September 27 – Frankfurt, ZOOM, DE – TICKETS September 28 – Paris, Casino de Paris, FR – TICKETS September 30 – Metz, La BAM, FR – TICKETS October 1 – Rouen, Le 106, FR – TICKETS October 2 – Marseille, Espace Julien, FR – TICKETS October 3 – Toulouse, Interference, FR – TICKETS October 7 – Madrid, Mon Live, ES – TICKETS October 8 – Barcelona, Razzmatazz 2, ES – TICKETS October 11 – Vienna, Ottakringer Brauerei, AT – TICKETS October 12 – Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn, DE – TICKETS October 14 – Krakow, Klub Studio, PL – TICKETS October 15 – Prague, ROXY, CZ – TICKETS October 16 – Berlin, Huxleys Neue Welt, DE – TICKETS October 17 – Hamburg, DOCKS, DE – TICKETS
Eivør performs on the world’s largest stages. She’s serenaded crowds at the UEFA Champions League, bowled over The Game Awards with her songs from God of War:Ragnarök and starred in the Netflix series The Last Kingdom.
Still, Eivør’s new album stands out amidst her two-decades long discography as a bold new venture. ENN ties back to the traditional folk music that she grew up with in the Faroe Islands, while also branching out into dark electronics and cosmic orchestration.
“ENN is the most nuanced and experimental album that I’ve created to date”, Eivør says. “There is an unyielding tide of destruction at the core of the album’s journey, but there’s also hope and comfort to be found in its blue embrace”.
The album’s gently pulsating first single “Jarðartrá / Dust to Dust” recently won a USA Songwriting Competition Award in the Best World Music category.
“When I wrote this song, I envisioned the earth in its rawest elements: oceans, volcanoes, storms, soil”, Eivør remembers. “We all have echoes of these elements within us, but maybe we tend to forget that we are part of nature and its endless circle of decay and growth”.
Tracklist 1. Ein Klóta (5:44) 2. Jarðartrá (4:47) [WATCH] 3. Hugsi Bert Um Teg (3:25) [WATCH] 4. Purpurhjarta (4:27) 5. ENN (7:11) 6. Lívsandin (4:35) 7. Upp Úr Øskuni (5:01) [WATCH] 8. Gaia (5:10) Total runtime: 40:25
Of course, fans can support Eivør by buying merchandise at any stop along her tour. But you don’t have to wait! Her new line of ENN-themed apparel is now available to order online, here.
Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotland and southeast of Iceland, with a total population of about 50,000, the climate is “full of contrasts—very dark, heavy winters and bright summers.” Growing up in a small village there, of about 400 people, it’s those contrasts that have inspired Eivør’s music throughout her career.
Often considered to be one of the most prolific and unique Nordic artists of her generation, Eivør has released 11 studio albums to date, crossing musical genres and always pushing the envelope of the expected. Awarded with the Nordic Council Music Price in 2021, Eivør’s musical journey continues to fascinate and has seen her perform across the globe; from Europe’s biggest festival stages to providing the soundtrack to Netflix’s hit series The Last Kingdom and the video game God of War: Ragnarök.
Her new album ENN ties back to Eivør’s Nordic roots. Most of the lyrics, sung entirely in Faroese, were penned in collaboration with the Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Eivør calls the lyrics to the title track especially “hardcore.” The song is about war—“the wars that are going on in the world especially lately, but that have always been going on,” Eivør says, “and how to find a glimpse of light in this overwhelming darkness.” The guttural penultimate track, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES,” is a thrilling outlier mixing growling beatboxing with visceral throat singing (it’s certainly Eivør’s most metal moment).
ENN stands out among Eivør’s discography as a bold new venture. Her debut for Season of Mist, the album leans heavier into dark electronics. Her new Prophet-5 synthesizer hardly made it out of the box before she keyed up “HUGSI BERT UM TEG/STILL JUST YOU”, a swooning bit of dream-pop that dances like the colors of the milky way.
On a grand scale, ENN follows a cosmic arc. The title track is a symphonic, war-torn space odyssey. But the album also dwells on more earthly concerns. Lead single “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST” is told from the perspective of a wounded mother earth, who calls to us with a steadily thumping bassline that’s as dark and warm as our planet’s molten core. “Come lie down in my blue embrace”, Eivør sings, reaching into her operatic register, as if beckoning us toward the light.
She’s serenaded crowds from the UEFA Champions League to The Game Awards, but on her latest album, Eivør reached several new milestones. The Faroe Islands superstar performed songs off ENN to sold-out crowds from Red Rocks to Hellfest.
Now, to kick off 2025 ahead of her upcoming North American tour, Eivør is proud to announce that she has been named a winner of the 29th USA Songwriting Competition. Her gently pulsating first single from ENN, “Jarðartrá / Dust to Dust”, won the award for Best World music.
“I am thrilled and honored for our song ‘Jarðartrá (Dust To Dust)’ to have won the USA Songwriting Competition in the ‘World Music’ category”, Eivør says.
“The track is a joint effort between myself and the Faroes poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs – my long-time lyrical collaborator and dear friend.
I’m grateful to my dear Tróndur Bogason for co-production and arrangements on this track and to my band mates Mikael, Per, Mattias and Theodor for generously pouring your beautiful creativity into each note and each beat”.
We are grateful and truly honoured to receive this prestigious award. Thank you.”
“Jarðartrá” was an especially fitting first single for ENN. Just like the extreme contrasts that define life at her home in the Faroe Islands, the song is dark yet glistening, swirling but propulsive. Eivør inhabits the perspective of a wounded mother earth, who calls to us with a steadily thumping bassline that’s as dark and warm as our planet’s molten core. “Come lie down in my blue embrace”, she sings, reaching into her operatic register, as if beckoning us toward the light.
“When I wrote this song, I envisioned the earth in its rawest elements: oceans, volcanoes, storms, soil”, Eivør remembers. “We all have echoes of these elements within us, but maybe we tend to forget that we are part of nature and its endless circle of decay and growth”.
Hear Eivør perform the award-winning “Jarðartrá” and other songs from her world-renowned, 25-year discography next month when she tours North America with Sylvaine. Their shows in Toronto and San Francisco are already sold out. Tickets for Seattle, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Montreal and Silver Springs are all moving fast.
Eivør USA & Canada Tour 2025 w/ special guest Sylvaine
February 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl [TICKETS] February 4 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre [TICKETS][LOW TICKETS] February 5 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom [TICKETS] February 7 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord [SOLD OUT] February 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco [TICKETS][LOW TICKETS] February 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall [TICKETS] February 12 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater [TICKETS] February 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center [TICKETS][SOLD OUT] February 15 – Madison, WI @ Majestic [TICKETS] February 16 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall [TICKETS] February 18 – Toronto, ON @ Great Hall [SOLD OUT] February 19 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount [TICKETS][LOW TICKETS] February 21 – Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre [TICKETS] February 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [TICKETS] February 23 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore [TICKETS][LOW TICKETS]
Eivør and Sylvaine put together a playlist of their favorite songs to set the scene for their North American tour. Listen to their choice cuts off ENN and Eg Er Framand, as well as the soundtracks to The Last Kingdom and God of War Ragnarök.
Of course, fans can support Eivør by buying merchandise at any stop along her tour. But you don’t have to wait! Her new line of ENN-themed apparel is now available to order online, here.
Artwork by Leif Podhajsky
Tracklist 1. Ein Klóta (5:44) 2. Jarðartrá (4:47) [WATCH] 3. Hugsi Bert Um Teg (3:25) [WATCH] 4. Purpurhjarta (4:27) 5. ENN (7:11) 6. Lívsandin (4:35) 7. Upp Úr Øskuni (5:01) [WATCH] 8. Gaia (5:10) Total runtime: 40:25
Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotland and southeast of Iceland, with a total population of about 50,000, the climate is “full of contrasts—very dark, heavy winters and bright summers.” Growing up in a small village there, of about 400 people, it’s those contrasts that have inspired Eivør’s music throughout her career.
Often considered to be one of the most prolific and unique Nordic artists of her generation, Eivør has released 11 studio albums to date, crossing musical genres and always pushing the envelope of the expected. Awarded with the Nordic Council Music Price in 2021, Eivør’s musical journey continues to fascinate and has seen her perform across the globe; from Europe’s biggest festival stages to providing the soundtrack to Netflix’s hit series The Last Kingdom and the video game God of War: Ragnarök.
Her new album ENN ties back to Eivør’s Nordic roots. Most of the lyrics, sung entirely in Faroese, were penned in collaboration with the Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Eivør calls the lyrics to the title track especially “hardcore.” The song is about war—“the wars that are going on in the world especially lately, but that have always been going on,” Eivør says, “and how to find a glimpse of light in this overwhelming darkness.” The guttural penultimate track, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES,” is a thrilling outlier mixing growling beatboxing with visceral throat singing (it’s certainly Eivør’s most metal moment).
ENN stands out among Eivør’s discography as a bold new venture. Her debut for Season of Mist, the album leans heavier into dark electronics. Her new Prophet-5 synthesizer hardly made it out of the box before she keyed up “HUGSI BERT UM TEG/STILL JUST YOU”, a swooning bit of dream-pop that dances like the colors of the milky way.
On a grand scale, ENN follows a cosmic arc. The title track is a symphonic, war-torn space odyssey. But the album also dwells on more earthly concerns. Lead single “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST” is told from the perspective of a wounded mother earth, who calls to us with a steadily thumping bassline that’s as dark and warm as our planet’s molten core. “Come lie down in my blue embrace”, Eivør sings, reaching into her operatic register, as if beckoning us toward the light.
On ENN, Eivør moves heaven and earth.
Recording line-up: Eivør: Vocals, Guitars Mattias Kapnas: Piano, Rhodes and Synths Mikael Blak: Bass & Synths. Guitars on ‘Upp úr øskuni’ Per I Højgaard Petersen: Drums & Soundscaping Strings performed by Lýra: 1st violin: Sigrún Harðardóttir 2nd violin: Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir Viola: Karl James Pestka Cello: Unnur Jónsdóttir Choir on ‘Ein klóta’: Eivør, Tróndur, Hans Mols Mortensen, Greta Svabo Beck and Fred Ruddick
Recording studio Studio Bloch (Faroe Islands), Hljóðritið (Iceland), Jardin Acoustique (France) and in Eivør’s portable studio in various corners of the world.
Production, engineering and recording Produced & arranged by Eivør and Tróndur
Beat production by Eivør and Per I. Højgaard Petersen
Recorded and engineered by Theodor Kapnas at Studio Bloch (Faroe Islands)
Additional recordings and engineering by Fred Ruddick at Jardin Acoustique (France)
Strings recorded by Guðmundur Kristinn Jónsson and Gestur Sveinsson at Hljóðriti (Iceland)
Eivør performs on the world’s largest stages. She has serenaded crowds at the UEFA Champions League, bowled over The Game Awards with her songs from God of War: Ragnarök, starred in the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom and opened for Heilung at a sold-out Red Rocks.
“Her performance is, as expected, flat out spellbinding” The Line of Best Fitsaid aboutEivør during this year’s G! Festival.
Last week, the Faroe Islands superstar kicked off a headlining tour of Europe in support of her new dark, electronic new album ENN. She’s joined by special guest and Season of Mist labelmate Sylvaine, whose new EP Eg Er Framand traces back to her earliest roots in Norwegian folk songs.
Nearly half of the tour dates are sold out. Several other dates only have a few tickets remaining.
Don’t miss the chance to see these two ascendant Nordic stars next year when they tour North America.
Eivør USA & Canada Tour 2025 w/ special guest Sylvaine
February 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl [TICKETS] February 4 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre [TICKETS] February 5 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom [TICKETS] February 7 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord [TICKETS] February 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco [TICKETS] February 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall [TICKETS] February 12 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater [TICKETS] February 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center [TICKETS] February 15 – Madison, WI @ Majestic [TICKETS] February 16 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall [TICKETS] February 18 – Toronto, ON @ Great Hall [TICKETS] February 19 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount [TICKETS] February 21 – Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre [TICKETS] February 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [TICKETS] February 23 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore [TICKETS]
ENN and Eg Er Framand are now available on Season of Mist.
Eivør and Sylvaine put together a playlist of their favorite songs to set the scene for their European and North American tours. Listen to their choice cuts off Nova and ENN, as well as the soundtracks to The Last Kingdom and God of War Ragnarök.
After she shoots across Europe on her current headlining tour with Sylvaine, Eivør will reunite with Heilung in Australia and New Zealand, where she’ll play three headlining shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.
Eivør 2024 European Tour with special guest Sylvaine, remaining shows: October 12 – Bristol, ENG @ Thekla [SOLD OUT] October 13 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon [SOLD OUT] October 15 – Lyon, FR @ CCO [TICKETS] October 16 – Lucerne, CH @ Schuur [SOLD OUT] October 17 – Vienna, AT @ Szene [TICKETS] October 18 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert [TICKETS] October 19 – Warsaw, DE @ Progresja [SOLD OUT] October 21 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol [TICKETS]* October 22 – Aarhus, DK @ Train [SOLD OUT] October 23 – Copenhagen, DK @ Store Vega [SOLD OUT] October 24 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik [TICKETS] October 25 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller [SOLD OUT] October 26 – Stockholm, SE @ Kägelbanan [SOLD OUT] *Low Tickets
2024 Australia/ New Zealand Tour Dates
October 30 – Perth, AU @ Red Hill Auditorium w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 2 – Adelaide, AU @ AEC Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 4 – Melbourne, AU @ Palais Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 5 – Melbourne, AU @ Stay Gold [TICKETS]* November 6 – Melbourne, AU @ Palais Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 8 – Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 10 – Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 13 – Brisbane, AU @ Riverstage w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 14 – Brisbane, AU @ Brightside [TICKETS]* November 16 – Auckland, NZ @ Kiri Te Kanawa w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 18 – Auckland, NZ @ Kiri Te Kanawa w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 19 – Auckland, NZ @ Tuning Fork [TICKETS]* *Headline Show
Of course, fans can support Eivør by buying merchandise at any stop along her tour. But you don’t have to wait! Her new line of ENN-themed apparel is now available to order online, here.
Artwork by Leif Podhajsky
Tracklist 1. Ein Klóta (5:44) 2. Jarðartrá (4:47) [WATCH] 3. Hugsi Bert Um Teg (3:25) [WATCH] 4. Purpurhjarta (4:27) 5. ENN (7:11) 6. Lívsandin (4:35) 7. Upp Úr Øskuni (5:01) [WATCH] 8. Gaia (5:10) Total runtime: 40:25
Eivør performs on the world’s largest stages. She has serenaded crowds at the UEFA Champions League, bowled over The Game Awards with her songs from God of War: Ragnarök, starred in the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom and opened for Heilung at a sold-out Red Rocks.
This fall, the Faroe Island superstar is treating her many admirers all across Europe to her new album’s cosmic orchestrations and dark electronics with support from her Season of Mist labelmate Sylvaine. Today, Eivør is revealing that she’ll be sharing this experience of ENN with her fans in North America early next year.
“I am thrilled to announce that I will be bringing my ENN album tour to the US and Canada throughout February of next year”, says Eivør, who last visited the continent in 2022. “These will be full band shows with only a limited amount of tickets available. Our label friend Sylvaine will be joining us as support.”
“I am beyond excited to finally be back playing in North America with my first-ever solo tour of the content”, Sylvaine says. “The wonderfully magical Eivør and I are about to hit the road together here in Europe – something I’ve looked forward to all of 2024 – and I am so very glad we get to bring this package over to our fans in North America next year”.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 27 @ 10 am Local Time. However, a special fan pre-sale will begin tomorrow, September 26 @ 10 am Local Time. Use the password ENN.
Eivør USA & Canada Tour 2025 w/ special guest Sylvaine
February 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl [TICKETS] February 4 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre [TICKETS] February 5 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom [TICKETS] February 7 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord [TICKETS] February 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco [TICKETS] February 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall [TICKETS] February 12 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater [TICKETS] February 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center [TICKETS] February 15 – Madison, WI @ Majestic [TICKETS] February 16 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall [TICKETS] February 18 – Toronto, ON @ Great Hall [TICKETS] February 19 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount [TICKETS] February 21 – Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre [TICKETS] February 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [TICKETS] February 23 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore [TICKETS]
More praise for Eivør “Her performance is, as expected, flat out spellbinding” – The Line of Best Fit
“Famed for her beautiful voice and amazing control, the Faroese singer of quite some renown drags you into an almost reverie and bliss” – Ghost Cult
“Simply put, it sounds absolutely stunning throughout the entirety of Eivør’s set, her falsetto tones soar, the building’s acoustic grandeur bolstering the ethereal beauty of the spellbinding performance” – Noizze
“The crowd headbanged and reflected Sylvaine’s intensity back to them, enthralled in their presence and atmosphere” – Nine Circles
“The beauty is always present, but when that turbulence hits, it hits hard“ – Angry Metal Guy
“It only takes a matter of seconds for this Nordic songbird to melt your heart and lull you into a trance with her siren song” – New Noise
In preparation for their tour together, Eivør and Sylvaine put together a playlist of their favorite songs. Get in the mood with some of the choice cuts off Nova and ENN, as well as the soundtracks to The Last Kingdom and God of War Ragnarök.
After she shoots across Europe on her current headlining tour with Sylvaine, Eivør will reunite with Heilung in Australia and New Zealand, where she’ll play three headlining shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.
Eivør 2024 European Tour October 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle [TICKETS] October 3 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivolivredenburg [SOLD OUT] October 4 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique [TICKETS] October 5 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall [TICKETS] October 7 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom [TICKETS] October 9 – Dublin, UK @ Opium [TICKETS] October 10 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage [TICKETS] October 11 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy [TICKETS] October 12 – Bristol, ENG @ Thekla [SOLD OUT] October 13 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon [TICKETS] October 15 – Lyon, FR @ CCO [TICKETS] October 16 – Lucerne, CH @ Schuur [TICKETS] October 17 – Vienna, AT @ Szene [TICKETS] October 18 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert [TICKETS] October 19 – Warsaw, DE @ Progresja [TICKETS] October 21 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol [TICKETS] October 22 – Aarhus, DK @ Train [TICKETS] October 23 – Copenhagen, DK @ Store Vega [TICKETS] October 24 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik [TICKETS] October 25 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller [TICKETS] October 26 – Stockholm, SE @ Kägelbanan [TICKETS]
2024 Australia/ New Zealand Tour Dates
October 30 – Perth, AU @ Red Hill Auditorium w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 2 – Adelaide, AU @ AEC Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 4 – Melbourne, AU @ Palais Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 5 – Melbourne, AU @ Stay Gold [TICKETS]* November 6 – Melbourne, AU @ Palais Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 8 – Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 10 – Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 13 – Brisbane, AU @ Riverstage w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 14 – Brisbane, AU @ Brightside [TICKETS]* November 16 – Auckland, NZ @ Kiri Te Kanawa w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 18 – Auckland, NZ @ Kiri Te Kanawa w/ Heilung [TICKETS] November 19 – Auckland, NZ @ Tuning Fork [TICKETS]* *Headline Show
Of course, fans can support Eivør by buying merchandise at any stop along her tour. But you don’t have to wait! Her new line of ENN-themed apparel is now available to order online, here.
Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotland and southeast of Iceland, with a total population of about 50,000, the climate is “full of contrasts—very dark, heavy winters and bright summers.” Growing up in a small village there, of about 400 people, it’s those contrasts that have inspired Eivør’s music throughout her career.
Often considered to be one of the most prolific and unique Nordic artists of her generation, Eivør has released 11 studio albums to date, crossing musical genres and always pushing the envelope of the expected. Awarded with the Nordic Council Music Price in 2021, Eivør’s musical journey continues to fascinate and has seen her perform across the globe; from Europe’s biggest festival stages to providing the soundtrack to Netflix’s hit series The Last Kingdom and the video game God of War: Ragnarök.
Her new album ENN ties back to Eivør’s Nordic roots. Most of the lyrics, sung entirely in Faroese, were penned in collaboration with the Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Eivør calls the lyrics to the title track especially “hardcore.” The song is about war—“the wars that are going on in the world especially lately, but that have always been going on,” Eivør says, “and how to find a glimpse of light in this overwhelming darkness.” The guttural penultimate track, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES,” is a thrilling outlier mixing growling beatboxing with visceral throat singing (it’s certainly Eivør’s most metal moment).
ENN stands out among Eivør’s discography as a bold new venture. Her debut for Season of Mist, the album leans heavier into dark electronics. Her new Prophet-5 synthesizer hardly made it out of the box before she keyed up “HUGSI BERT UM TEG/STILL JUST YOU”, a swooning bit of dream-pop that dances like the colors of the milky way.
On a grand scale, ENN follows a cosmic arc. The title track is a symphonic, war-torn space odyssey. But the album also dwells on more earthly concerns. Lead single “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST” is told from the perspective of a wounded mother earth, who calls to us with a steadily thumping bassline that’s as dark and warm as our planet’s molten core. “Come lie down in my blue embrace”, Eivør sings, reaching into her operatic register, as if beckoning us toward the light.
On ENN, Eivør moves heaven and earth.
Tracklist 1. Ein Klóta (5:44) 2. Jarðartrá (4:47) [WATCH] 3. Hugsi Bert Um Teg (3:25) [WATCH] 4. Purpurhjarta (4:27) 5. ENN (7:11) 6. Lívsandin (4:35) 7. Upp Úr Øskuni (5:01) [WATCH] 8. Gaia (5:10) Total runtime: 40:25
Recording line-up Eivør: Vocals, Guitars Mattias Kapnas: Piano, Rhodes and Synths Mikael Blak: Bass & Synths. Guitars on ‘Upp úr øskuni’ Per I Højgaard Petersen: Drums & Soundscaping
Strings performed by Lýra: 1st violin: Sigrún Harðardóttir 2nd violin: Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir Viola: Karl James Pestka Cello: Unnur Jónsdóttir Choir on ‘Ein klóta’: Eivør, Tróndur, Hans Mols Mortensen, Greta Svabo Beck and Fred Ruddick
Eivør performs on the world’s largest stages. She has serenaded crowds at the UEFA Champions League, bowled over The Game Awards with her songs from God of War: Ragnarök, starred in the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom and opened for Heilung at a sold-out Red Rocks.
Still, Eivør’s new album stands out amidst her two-decades long discography as a bold new venture. ENN ties back to the traditional folk music that she grew up with in the Faroe Islands, while also branching out into dark electronics and cosmic orchestration.
“ENN is the most nuanced and experimental album that I’ve created to date”, Eivør says. “There is an unyielding tide of destruction at the core of the album’s journey, but there’s also hope and comfort to be found in its blue embrace”.
ENN comes out tomorrow, Friday, June 14, on Season of Mist. But you can chat with Eivør while listening to all eight glowing tracks today at 2 pm Eastern Time by joining the listening party over on her YouTube channel.
Tracklist 1. Ein Klóta (5:44) 2. Jarðartrá (4:47) [WATCH] 3. Hugsi Bert Um Teg (3:25) [WATCH] 4. Purpurhjarta (4:27) 5. ENN (7:11) 6. Lívsandin (4:35) 7. Upp Úr Øskuni (5:01) [WATCH] 8. Gaia (5:10) Total runtime: 40:25
Eivør Pálsdóttir grew up in a village of just 400 people, tucked away among the Faroe Islands. Her music has always been shaped by the extreme contrasts of this remote landscape, where impossibly bright summers suddenly fade under the cover of dark, heavy winters. She’s now recognized by fans across the world for her thunderous Nordic hand drum and ecstatic throat singing. But it was while on a retreat to the small mountain village of Tjørnuvík, with her partner, the classical composer Tróndur Bogason, that her new album began to head in an unexpected direction.
“Tróndur and I have written a lot of music together for my albums over the years, but never anything quite like this”, Eivør says about ENN‘s stunning opener. Despite being grounded by a stark but sturdy piano, “EIN KLÓTA / A PLANET” slowly sweeps you off your feet with her operatic falsetto. “It’s a song about change, about being carried further and further away from something that was once familiar and safe”.
Throughout her career, Eivør has covered lots of stylistic ground. As a young teenager, she played with various rock and jazz bands. By the time she turned 17, she had already released her first album of folk songs and nabbed two Icelandic Music Awards. But even she was surprised to discover that her forays into electronic beatmaking were the stems for her new album.
“Slowly, I realized this wasn’t a side project”, Eivør says. “Creatively, this is where I am right now”. Her new Prophet-5 synthesizer had hardly made it out of the box before she hammered out “HUGSI BERT UM TEG / STILL JUST YOU”, a celestial swoon of dream-pop that dances like the colors of the milky way. “Usually, I spend months or sometimes years writing a song, but this one came rushing out of me”.
As displayed by the video’s synthetic light show, lead single “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST” is one of the most beat-oriented songs on ENN. But the steady electronic pulse stems from more natural springs. In English, the title translates as “Death Lust”, a primordial desire to return to the earth. While it sounds out of this world, the heaving bass line was actually born out of an old Faroese folk melody. “When I wrote this song, I envisioned the earth in its rawest elements: oceans, volcanoes, storms, soil”, says Eivør. “We all have echoes of these elements within us, but maybe we tend to forget that we are part of nature and its endless circle of decay and growth”.
ENN does mark a stylistic leap, but Eivør hasn’t forgotten where she comes from. “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” pays tribute to all the women who’ve supported her with what’s certainly the album’s most metal moment. “Sing to the darkness”, she growls from the pit of her throat, conjuring a devilishly anthemic guitar riff that’s bound to enchant the hordes at this year’s Hellfest.
“I imagined a coven of witches, past and present, chanting to each other across the chasms of time”, Eivør says about writing “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES”. That mental image will forever be seared into our cultural memory by the song’s positively bewitching video, which was created by a wickedly talented team of women.
Most of ENN was written in partnership with the esteemed Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. “I greatly admire Marjun”, says Eivør. “When she sent me the poem that became the album’s title track, I got goosebumps all over”. As if her eerily echoing vocal melody wasn’t enough to send shivers down your spine, the story behind “ENN / STILL” is truly chilling. A woman wanders through her war-torn town, longing after her conscripted lover. But amidst the wreckage, her loving memories offer a glimmer of hope. After all, the song’s heavily throbbing heartbeat appeared, as if out of thin air, while Eivør was walking through the mountains near her home.
“It was one of those typical Faroese days when the light really imprints an otherworldly feeling to the landscape” she remembers. “You get this feeling of overwhelming beauty wrapped in gloominess and mystery”.
Though ENN opens by soaring off into uncharted territory, in the end, the album comes full circle. Eivør has been dwelling over its elegiac finale ever since Tróndur played it for her a few years ago. But the stuttering keyboard finally comes to rest on the soft and supple “GAIA”. The strings bend with the quiet force of gravity, as if lowering her back into the earth’s pull.
“I wanted ENN to close with a love hymn to the earth, our mother who brings us peace and solace in times of trouble”, Eivør says. “The album explores the links between humanity and nature; the primal urges of the heart, the undying desires of the human flesh and the endless struggle we choose to endure in order to achieve our goals. All of this goes on while our planet hurtles through space, setting the stage for our battlegrounds, but also our sanctuaries”.
On ENN, Eivor moves heaven and earth.
To celebrate the release of her star-turning new album, this fall, Eivør will shoot across Europe on a headlining tour with label mate Sylvaine in tow before linking up with Heilung in Australia and New Zealand.Don’t miss the chance to hear her perform “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST”, “HUGSI BERT UM TEG / STILL JUST YOU”, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” and other mesmerizing songs off ENN for the first time. Tickets are going fast!
“My band and I can’t wait to start this new chapter with you and perform later this year”, says Eivør. “These tours will bring ENN all over the world – from the United States to Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand and Australia”.
In preparation for their tour together, Eivør and Sylvaine put together a playlist of their favorite songs. Get in the mood with some of the choice cuts off Nova and the soundtracks to The Last Kingdom and God of War Ragnarök.
Eivør 2024 European Tour October 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle [LOW TICKETS] October 3 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivolivredenburg [LOW TICKETS] October 4 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique October 5 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall October 7 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom October 9 – Dublin, UK @ Opium [LOW TICKETS] October 10 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage October 11 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy [Venue Upgrade] October 12 – Bristol, ENG @ Thekla [SOLD OUT] October 13 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon October 15 – Lyon, FR @ CCO October 16 – Lucerne, CH @ Schuur October 17 – Vienna, AT @ Szene [Venue Upgrade] October 18 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert October 19 – Warsaw, DE @ Progresja October 21 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol October 22 – Aarhus, DK @ Train October 23 – Copenhagen, DK @ Store Vega [LOW TICKETS] October 24 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik October 25 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller October 26 – Stockholm, SE @ Kägelbanan [LOW TICKETS]
2024 Australia/ New Zealand Tour Dates Supporting Heilung
October 30 – Perth, AU @ Red Hill Auditorium November 2 – Adelaide, AU @ AEC Theatre November 4 – Melbourne, AU @ Palais Theatre November 8 – Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre November 13 – Brisbane, AU @ Riverstage November 16 – Auckland, NZ @ Kiri Te Kanawa
Of course, fans can support Eivør by buying merchandise at any stop along her tour. But you don’t have to wait! Her new line of ENN-themed apparel is now available for order online.
Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotland and southeast of Iceland, with a total population of about 50,000, the climate is “full of contrasts—very dark, heavy winters and bright summers.” Growing up in a small village there, of about 400 people, it’s those contrasts that have inspired Eivør’s music throughout her career, as well as the Faroe Islands’ intense and still-vibrant connection to its own folk music traditions. “A very strong part of Faroese culture is singing together—anywhere people gather, there will be singing,” Eivør explains. “When you listen to old Faroese traditional music, it’s sung acapella and takes you back to its Renaissance roots. It’s pure, expressive, and untamed.”
Often considered to be one of the most prolific and unique Nordic artists of her generation, Eivør has released 11 studio albums to date, crossing musical genres and always pushing the bounds of the expected. Awarded with the Nordic Council Music Price in 2021, Eivør’s musical journey continues to fascinate.
As a young teenager, Eivør was immersed in the tight-knit local music scene, playing with 20-something musicians in jazz bands as well as rock bands influenced by Portishead, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Sigur Rós and similar acts.
By 16, Eivør released her debut solo collection of Faroese-sung folk-pop. One year later, she left home to study classical singing in Reykjavík, Iceland—soon winning two Icelandic Music Awards for her sophomore album. She spent the ensuing years living in Copenhagen and building a career playing folk festivals, but by 2010, Eivør was ready for a change. Her daring Larva album eschewed the folksiness of her previous work for experimentation and electronics. “I needed to free myself from boxes,” she said. It was the beginning of a new chapter that continues with her richly atmospheric new album, ENN.
The process of ENN built on Eivør’s recent immersion into production and beat-making, but began with a return to classical music. She and her partner, the classical composer Tróndur Bogason, had decamped to a tiny Faroe Islands mountain village of 50 people, called Tjørnuvík with no agenda but to “write freely” for a possible side project. “Slowly I realized: I shouldn’t think about this as a side project,” Eivør said. “This is where I am at right now creatively.” The first track they worked on there became ENN’s melancholic closer, “Gaia,” which Eivør calls “a love hymn for the Earth” that reminded her of the Renaissance music she loved in her youth. On that trip, Eivør and Tróndur also wrote ENN’s opener, “Ein Klóta,” a song about “watching your world from afar” as it changes. “I felt I was making a concept album, in a sense, about the Earth, about our home, our planet. Then it developed into both nature but also human nature—both the outer and the inner landscape, and the struggles of the heart, the struggles between the Earth and humans.”
In recent years, Eivør has composed extensively for film, television and video games(The Last Kingdom, God of War) and the cinematic structures of those scores found their way in alongside the music’s propulsive beats, omnipresent rooting in Faroese folk, and the classical flourishes of her opera training. Some of the songs feel like vistas or panoramas moving unexpectedly. “After writing the first two more spacious tracks, the idea started to grow in my head of almost a space opera,” Eivør said. “I was like, what if this journey starts out in space, and you watch the Earth? And you’re so far away from everything that you ever knew? Where am I going? What is this adventure?” The result was a synthesis of her career to date—her curiosity about beat making and noisy expressiveness, combined with the purity of classical music and cinematic atmospheres—and that sonic biography plays out beautifully on ENN’s second track “Jardartra.” It begins with a lurching beat “almost like a heartbeat,” and Eivør wrote it from the Earth’s point of view, as if “Earth is calling on us in the midst of all our human greed and destruction and beckoning us to find our way back to her blue embrace.”
Most of the lyrics, sung entirely in Faroese, were penned in collaboration with the Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Eivør calls the lyrics to the title track especially “hardcore.” The song is about war— “the wars that are going on in the world especially lately, but that have always been going on,” Eivør says, “and how to find a glimpse of light in this overwhelming darkness.” The guttural penultimate track, “Upp Úr Øskuni,” is a thrilling outlier mixing growling beatboxing with visceral throat singing (it’s certainly Eivør’s most metal moment). She considers “Upp Úr Øskuni” a beacon of female empowerment and solidarity.
Eivør says. “I wanted it to be wild and untamed. It’s quite witchy. When I wrote the song, I imagined a coven of witches from the past and the present all supporting each other, chanting to each other across the chasm of time.”
After independently releasing her music for many years, ENN marks Eivør’s debut for the metal label Season of Mist—and though her compositions sit outside of any one genre, she is happy to be embraced by the metal community. She identified a shared pagan sensibility in her television scores like The Last Kingdom. “I never felt I really fit into any box,” said Eivør. “I just have to do it my own way.” Recorded with her touring band in the Faroe Islands—where she now lives again, splitting time between her homeland and Denmark—Eivør called ENN “my most pleasurable and also most painful process. I felt that I was stepping into a place where I hadn’t been before, and that’s always scary because you don’t feel that you touch the ground. But it opens up your creativity and takes you to someplace new. It’s woven together all my experiences for the past 10 years, and it’s grounded me.”
Recording line-up Eivør: Vocals, Guitars Mattias Kapnas: Piano, Rhodes and Synths Mikael Blak: Bass & Synths. Guitars on ‘Upp úr øskuni’ Per I Højgaard Petersen: Drums & Soundscaping Strings performed by Lýra: 1st violin: Sigrún Harðardóttir 2nd violin: Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir Viola: Karl James Pestka Cello: Unnur Jónsdóttir Choir on ‘Ein klóta’: Eivør, Tróndur, Hans Mols Mortensen, Greta Svabo Beck and Fred Ruddick
Recording studio Studio Bloch (Faroe Islands), Hljóðritið (Iceland), Jardin Acoustique (France) and in Eivør’s portable studio in various corners of the world.
Production, engineering and recording Produced & arranged by Eivør and Tróndur
Beat production by Eivør and Per I. Højgaard Petersen
Recorded and engineered by Theodor Kapnas at Studio Bloch (Faroe Islands)
Additional recordings and engineering by Fred Ruddick at Jardin Acoustique (France)
Strings recorded by Guðmundur Kristinn Jónsson and Gestur Sveinsson at Hljóðriti (Iceland)
On her new album, Eivør leans heavier into electronic beats and cosmic orchestration. But ENN only deepens the connection to her Nordic roots. The title, which in English means “Still”, grounds her latest artistic leap in the comforts of home. With “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES”, Eivør pays a loving tribute to all the strong women in her life while exploring the dark new depths of her music.
The four-on-the-floor thump of previous single “HUGSI BERT UM TEG / STILL JUST YOU” quietly declared that Eivør can shine as brightly as any pop star. But “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” is certainly her most metal moment. The song doesn’t begin with synthetic shimmers but a drum toll that echoes with the ominous force of an ancient spirit waking from deep inside cave. “Sing to the darkness”, she growls from the pit of her throat, conjuring a devilishly anthemic guitar riff that’s bound to enchant the hordes at this year’s Hellfest.
“When I was writing ‘UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES’, I imagined a coven of witches, past and present, chanting to each other across the chasms of time”, Eivør says. That mental image will forever be seared into our cultural memory by the song’s positively bewitching video, which was created by a wickedly talented team of women.
“This video felt like a homecoming in many ways”, she continues. “I had a strong urge that to capture the spirit of ‘UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES’, we needed to film in the Faroe Islands. Katrin Joensen Næss was the perfect choice for director, as the two of us shared the same aesthetic vision. We were joined by an amazing team of Faroese female artists whom I also admire. Art Director Jenný Kragesteen, Costume Designer Maibritt Marjunardóttir and the rest of these wonderful women all delivered their special magic to this video. In the spirit of the song, we all felt that we rose from the ashes together creating this visual world. I couldn’t be more proud or more grateful for this collaboration”.
ENN is Eivør’s first offering for the international metal label Season of Mist. But “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” was the last song that she wrote for the album. “I wanted to complement the earthy vibes of ENN with something raw, that was coursing with untamed feminine energy”, she says. Where lead single “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST” beckoned us back into the blue embrace of Mother Earth, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” cries out in celebration of all the mothers, sisters and other strong women in her life.
Eivør comes from one of the smallest places on the planet. She grew up in a village of 400 people, tucked away among the Faroe Islands. That she now performs on the world’s biggest stages – from the UEFA Champions League to The Game Awards and Red Rocks – is nothing short of extraordinary. But she hasn’t forgotten all of the women who have supported her along the way. With its heaving bass line, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” certainly possesses dark undertones, but her falsetto soars above the song’s heavenly bridge. “We glide on powerful wings / Stride into our certainty“, she sings, followed by her own echo, as if the voices of women past and present are lifting her to even greater heights.
“I’ve never written a girl power song” Eivør says. “I guess it was about time”.
Additional video credits DOP – Rúni Friis Kjær Editor – Jarivan Ahman Production Manager – Thurid Samró Art Director – Jenný Kragesteen Costume Designer – Maibritt Marjunardóttir Hair & Make-up – Døgg Nónsgjógv Colorist – Mamoun Abufarha Gaffers – Jákup S. Thøgersen, Rógvi Rasmussen Production Manager – Thurid Samró 1st AD – Gunnvá Gaard Props – Bjarni Richardt-Mortensen Post Facilities – BeoPost
Extras – Lisa Helmsdal, Stina Av Kák Kollsker, Oddvør Dahl Wærnskjold, Angela Fagranes, Rannvá Jónsdóttir, Sophilia Wraae Mukisa, Kollbrún í Haraldsstovu, Ria
To celebrate the release of her star-turning new album, this fall, Eivør will shoot across Europe on a headlining tour with label mate Sylvaine in tow before linking up with Heilung in Australia and New Zealand.Don’t miss the chance to hear her perform “JARÐARTRÁ/DUST TO DUST”, “HUGSI BERT UM TEG / STILL JUST YOU”, “UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES” and other mesmerizing songs off ENN for the first time. Tickets are going fast!
“My band and I can’t wait to start this new chapter with you and perform later this year”, says Eivør. “These tours will bring ENN all over the world – from the United States to Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand and Australia”.
In preparation for their tour together, Eivør and Sylvaine put together a playlist of their favorite songs. Get in the mood with some of the choice cuts off Nova and the soundtracks to The Last Kingdom and God of War Ragnarök.
Eivør 2024 European Tour October 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle [LOW TICKETS] October 3 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivolivredenburg [LOW TICKETS] October 4 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique October 5 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall October 7 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom October 9 – Dublin, UK @ Opium [LOW TICKETS] October 10 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage October 11 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy [Venue Upgrade] October 12 – Bristol, ENG @ Thekla [SOLD OUT] October 13 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon October 15 – Lyon, FR @ CCO October 16 – Lucerne, CH @ Schuur October 17 – Vienna, AT @ Szene [Venue Upgrade] October 18 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert October 19 – Warsaw, DE @ Progresja October 21 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol October 22 – Aarhus, DK @ Train October 23 – Copenhagen, DK @ Store Vega [LOW TICKETS] October 24 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik October 25 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller October 26 – Stockholm, SE @ Kägelbanan [LOW TICKETS]
2024 Australia/ New Zealand Tour Dates Supporting Heilung
October 30 – Perth, AU @ Red Hill Auditorium November 2 – Adelaide, AU @ AEC Theatre November 4 – Melbourne, AU @ Palais Theatre November 8 – Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre November 13 – Brisbane, AU @ Riverstage November 16 – Auckland, NZ @ Kiri Te Kanawa
Of course, fans can support Eivør by buying merchandise at any stop along her tour. But you don’t have to wait! Her new line of ENN-themed apparel is now available for order online.
Artwork by Leif Podhajsky
Tracklist 1. Ein Klóta (5:44) 2. Jarðartrá (4:47) [WATCH] 3. Hugsi Bert Um Teg (3:25) [WATCH] 4. Purpurhjarta (4:27) 5. ENN (7:11) 6. Lívsandin (4:35) 7. Upp Úr Øskuni (5:01) [WATCH] 8. Gaia (5:10) Total runtime: 40:25
Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotland and southeast of Iceland, with a total population of about 50,000, the climate is “full of contrasts—very dark, heavy winters and bright summers.” Growing up in a small village there, of about 400 people, it’s those contrasts that have inspired Eivør’s music throughout her career, as well as the Faroe Islands’ intense and still-vibrant connection to its own folk music traditions. “A very strong part of Faroese culture is singing together—anywhere people gather, there will be singing,” Eivør explains. “When you listen to old Faroese traditional music, it’s sung acapella and takes you back to its Renaissance roots. It’s pure, expressive, and untamed.”
Often considered to be one of the most prolific and unique Nordic artists of her generation, Eivør has released 11 studio albums to date, crossing musical genres and always pushing the bounds of the expected. Awarded with the Nordic Council Music Price in 2021, Eivør’s musical journey continues to fascinate.
As a young teenager, Eivør was immersed in the tight-knit local music scene, playing with 20-something musicians in jazz bands as well as rock bands influenced by Portishead, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Sigur Rós and similar acts.
By 16, Eivør released her debut solo collection of Faroese-sung folk-pop. One year later, she left home to study classical singing in Reykjavík, Iceland—soon winning two Icelandic Music Awards for her sophomore album. She spent the ensuing years living in Copenhagen and building a career playing folk festivals, but by 2010, Eivør was ready for a change. Her daring Larva album eschewed the folksiness of her previous work for experimentation and electronics. “I needed to free myself from boxes,” she said. It was the beginning of a new chapter that continues with her richly atmospheric new album, ENN.
The process of ENN built on Eivør’s recent immersion into production and beat-making, but began with a return to classical music. She and her partner, the classical composer Tróndur Bogason, had decamped to a tiny Faroe Islands mountain village of 50 people, called Tjørnuvík with no agenda but to “write freely” for a possible side project. “Slowly I realized: I shouldn’t think about this as a side project,” Eivør said. “This is where I am at right now creatively.” The first track they worked on there became ENN’s melancholic closer, “Gaia,” which Eivør calls “a love hymn for the Earth” that reminded her of the Renaissance music she loved in her youth. On that trip, Eivør and Tróndur also wrote ENN’s opener, “Ein Klóta,” a song about “watching your world from afar” as it changes. “I felt I was making a concept album, in a sense, about the Earth, about our home, our planet. Then it developed into both nature but also human nature—both the outer and the inner landscape, and the struggles of the heart, the struggles between the Earth and humans.”
In recent years, Eivør has composed extensively for film, television and video games(The Last Kingdom, God of War) and the cinematic structures of those scores found their way in alongside the music’s propulsive beats, omnipresent rooting in Faroese folk, and the classical flourishes of her opera training. Some of the songs feel like vistas or panoramas moving unexpectedly. “After writing the first two more spacious tracks, the idea started to grow in my head of almost a space opera,” Eivør said. “I was like, what if this journey starts out in space, and you watch the Earth? And you’re so far away from everything that you ever knew? Where am I going? What is this adventure?” The result was a synthesis of her career to date—her curiosity about beat making and noisy expressiveness, combined with the purity of classical music and cinematic atmospheres—and that sonic biography plays out beautifully on ENN’s second track “Jardartra.” It begins with a lurching beat “almost like a heartbeat,” and Eivør wrote it from the Earth’s point of view, as if “Earth is calling on us in the midst of all our human greed and destruction and beckoning us to find our way back to her blue embrace.”
Most of the lyrics, sung entirely in Faroese, were penned in collaboration with the Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Eivør calls the lyrics to the title track especially “hardcore.” The song is about war— “the wars that are going on in the world especially lately, but that have always been going on,” Eivør says, “and how to find a glimpse of light in this overwhelming darkness.” The guttural penultimate track, “Upp Úr Øskuni,” is a thrilling outlier mixing growling beatboxing with visceral throat singing (it’s certainly Eivør’s most metal moment). She considers “Upp Úr Øskuni” a beacon of female empowerment and solidarity.
Eivør says. “I wanted it to be wild and untamed. It’s quite witchy. When I wrote the song, I imagined a coven of witches from the past and the present all supporting each other, chanting to each other across the chasm of time.”
After independently releasing her music for many years, ENN marks Eivør’s debut for the metal label Season of Mist—and though her compositions sit outside of any one genre, she is happy to be embraced by the metal community. She identified a shared pagan sensibility in her television scores like The Last Kingdom. “I never felt I really fit into any box,” said Eivør. “I just have to do it my own way.” Recorded with her touring band in the Faroe Islands—where she now lives again, splitting time between her homeland and Denmark—Eivør called ENN “my most pleasurable and also most painful process. I felt that I was stepping into a place where I hadn’t been before, and that’s always scary because you don’t feel that you touch the ground. But it opens up your creativity and takes you to someplace new. It’s woven together all my experiences for the past 10 years, and it’s grounded me.”
Recording line-up Eivør: Vocals, Guitars Mattias Kapnas: Piano, Rhodes and Synths Mikael Blak: Bass & Synths. Guitars on ‘Upp úr øskuni’ Per I Højgaard Petersen: Drums & Soundscaping Strings performed by Lýra: 1st violin: Sigrún Harðardóttir 2nd violin: Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir Viola: Karl James Pestka Cello: Unnur Jónsdóttir Choir on ‘Ein klóta’: Eivør, Tróndur, Hans Mols Mortensen, Greta Svabo Beck and Fred Ruddick
Recording studio Studio Bloch (Faroe Islands), Hljóðritið (Iceland), Jardin Acoustique (France) and in Eivør’s portable studio in various corners of the world.
Production, engineering and recording Produced & arranged by Eivør and Tróndur
Beat production by Eivør and Per I. Højgaard Petersen
Recorded and engineered by Theodor Kapnas at Studio Bloch (Faroe Islands)
Additional recordings and engineering by Fred Ruddick at Jardin Acoustique (France)
Strings recorded by Guðmundur Kristinn Jónsson and Gestur Sveinsson at Hljóðriti (Iceland)
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
