Advertise on podcast: The Nordic Sound, a Nordic Musicology Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In a quick follow-up to Nordic Sound 69, Ivar returns to the podcast to talk about Enslaved’s the inspiration behind the new album Mi∂ and the process of its making. “On the album, Enslaved turn their gaze toward the fundamental concept of the axis: the middle, the origin, and the infinite reach of the present moment. Their journey has been at once a commitment to a promise that found its embryonic form in the Norwegian black metal scene they emerged from, and a willingness to challenge both orthodoxy and themselves from the off to make that potential manifest. Enslaved’s new album, “Mið”, an Old Norse word for ‘centre’, or ‘middle’, marks another departure, and another new beginning.”  What struck me about this conversation was the discussion of where academic and scholarly approaches to myth and history diverge, rather than converge, with music and art. “Source criticism would be the death of any Enslaved album,” as Ivar said, and he went on to explain that music, to him, is about exploring that unknown beyond the borders of verifiable knowledge.  Ivar also reflected on how the band’s priorities have shifted over the years from their origins in the “Viking metal” movement to deeper existential and philosophical questions. The two are interconnected, as Ivar explains, in that Viking history and heritage were the “literal” access point that was necessary before moving to more abstract concepts. Ivar’s feelings reflect what I’ve largely found to be the case across the Viking reenactment and living history scenes in Scandinavia, in which the Vikings are merely the symbolic entry point for much more universal conceptualizations of place and belonging. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Some thoughts on the new arrangement of Helvegen from Wardruna. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Emil Kárlsen was born and raised in the multilingual community of Omasvuotna/Omasvunon/Storfjord near the borders between Norway, Sweden and Finland. Having grown up in a heavily Norwegianized part of the coastal Sámi community, he has been a notable voice of reclaiming language and revitalizing the Sámi culture, mostly through his own music combined with the traditions of yoiking. He infuses his artistic practices with his family’s story and the history of his region In Nordic Sound #71, Emil sits down with Jameson to talk about his earliest childhood memories with music, and the experiences that ultimately led to his choosing to become a musician. He talks about the meaning and inspiration behind Nannámii before we get into a deeper discussion on the significance of music for Sámi self determination and cultural sovereignty. Of particular interest is the discussion around futurity, or the relationship between past, present, and future through tradition, and especially regarding Emil's work with wax cylinder recordings of Joik as part of his creative process, collaborating across the veil. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Viking metal veterans Einherjer joined Jameson for a quick chat at Midgardsblot 2026 to reflect on their journey over the years and discuss their latest endeavour “Lifeblood” which released in June of this year.  Hailing from Haugesund, Einherjer have remained a steady and consistent fixture in the Viking metal scene, with their album Oden Owns ye All bearing a particularly strong fingerprint on the genre’s development. Considering they’ve been in the game now since the earliest developments of this peculiar genre which no one can seem to agree on, getting to chat with founding members Frode (bass, vocals) and Gerhard (drums) gave me some new insight on what it was that brought so many Scandinavian metalheads to the Viking age all those years back. Unsurprisingly, their story also includes Bathory (as is tradition), but Frode and Gerhard also explain that there was more to it even in the early days, and as they grow older, their relationship with the Viking age has changed quite a bit. With Viking metal as one of the main points of transmission for Viking heritage and history across the glove, it’s always fascinating to hear what the musicians at the heart of the genre have to say about it. Thanks for the chat guys. I look forward to hearing what you have in store for us next. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Live from Fire in the Mountains 2026, Ivar Bjørnson of Enslaved joins Jameson once again to talk about Enslaved’s track “Spirit Helper” and its origins in their work with the Firekeeper Alliance. Stay tuned for another interview in the near future about the new album Mi∂! Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail In Nordic Sound #68 Jameson is joined by Norwegian icon Gunnhild Sundli of Gåte to talk about the new album Sigil (out today!) and reflect on Gåte’s two-decade-long role in passing on traditional stories and songs through their unique brand of folk rock.  ________ Rooted in the intersection of Nordic folk tradition and contemporary rock, GÅTE have spent over two decades developing a sound that feels both ancient and fiercely present. Drawing on centuries-old ballads, oral traditions, and traditional vocal forms, the band transform these sources into music that is physical, emotionally direct and unmistakably their own. Emerging in the early 2000s, GÅTE quickly became one of Norway’s most distinctive bands for their groundbreaking mix of Nordic folk tradition and modern rock. In 2002, their debut album, Jygri, entered at #1 on the Norwegian Albums chart and won them the Spellemann Award (Norwegian Grammy) for Best Newcomer. “GÅTE have been drawing from traditional music and transforming it with modern means into something new right from their beginning”, Metal Hammer writes. After two studio albums, three EPs and one live album, GÅTE took a twelve-year hiatus before returning to critical acclaim and sold-out performances with 2017’s Svevn. Following their folk-leaning LP Nord in 2021, the band went on to represent Norway in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest with a contemporary re-imagining of “Ulveham”, a traditional Norwegian ballad. In 2025, they toured throughout Europe with Leprous. Rather than treat tradition as a fixed reference, GÅTE approach it as a living force. Old material is not preserved for its own sake, but reworked and recontextualized, allowing it to resonate with contemporary urgency and relevance. “Our music comes from a place where tradition is not something fixed, but something alive” the band says. “We draw from old sources because they still speak to us, and because they allow us to express something honest and human today.” GÅTE have now completed their sixth studio album, which will be released on the band’s new label home Season of Mist. While the band has focused primarily on Norway in the past, signing with the international label reflects both the growing interest they have received from around the world and their desire to reach a wider audience. During the fall of 2026, GÅTE will perform the album’s lead single “Sannsiger” and other new songs during a headline tour of Norway and one date in Istanbul, Turkey. Their concerts are well-known for being immersive and intense, balancing raw energy with a ritual-like focus that has earned them a glowing and growing reputation beyond the Nordic region. Sigil is GÅTE's first album for Season of Mist and the most internationally minded chapter of their catalogue to date. Across ten tracks, the record moves through ancient legend and folk narrative to ask what survives once illusion falls away: enchantment, hunger, prophecy, mortality, and finally renewal. “Oskorsreia” conjures the Wild Hunt as a mirror for modern consumption and excess, while “Strandvaskar” draws on coastal burial superstition to stage a quiet exchange between the living and the dead. The album's emotional weight builds toward “Mi Jord”, where the earth itself seems to withdraw on shifting currents, before resolving in “Jostedalsrypa”, a song rooted in the true story of a child who survived alone in the mountains after the Black Death. Musically, Sigil threads Hardanger fiddle, nyckelharpa, and hurdy-gurdy through programmed electronics, heavy guitar, and Gunnhild Sundli's voice, with Maria Franz of HEILUNG joining on lead single "Sannsiger." The record never treats tradition as artefact. Old material is reworked rather than preserved, carrying inherited stories into something urgent and present. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break from the live festival interviews this week to have a familiar face back with us once again! In this episode, Jameson sits down with Jonas Lorentzen of Nebala to discuss the band's long-awaited return at this year's Midgardsblot. Jonas and I also let off some steam about AI and its affect on the Nordic music scene.  Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to the Nordic Sound. This is the first of a few live interviews done across both Midgardsblot and Fire in the Mountains, so there is a video component for those listening on podcast if you’d like to watch the scenic places where these chats take place as a nice changeup from zoom.  This first of the festival interview series is with mr. John Stenersen of Wardruna who is currently ramping up to release his first solo album on ByNorse, featuring traditional tunes played on Nyckelharpa with tastefully dark and brooding accompaniment on droning instruments and percussion.  In this upcoming conversation, John and I talk about a wide range of things including the inspiration for the solo album itself and his diy introduction to the Nordic folk tradition, and we learn some about his first musical experiences as a kid too which was pretty fun.  One caveat I always like to preface these live interviews with is because they are live at festivals, there will of course be more ambient noise than the typical Nordic Sound episode: people chatting in the distance, sound checks, seagulls, planes overhead… the works. Luckily there was nothing intrusive, but  I just wanted to mention it for posterity. It’s all part of the charm of festival interviews - it really sets the scene Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Today’s guest is a very dear friend of mine, Mattias Thedens, who is a renowned fiddler in the Norwegian folk scene and most known for his place as the frontman of folk rock band Gangar. In this episode, Mattias and I talk about the new album Dreng and the joys of touring before getting into a deeper conversation about tradition and how to handle criticism as a new artist. Oslo-based Gangar bring a fresh take on Nordic roots music. The five-piece ensemble — Mattias Truell Thedens (Hardanger fiddle), Oskar Goedvriend Lindberget (saxophone), Richard Max (guitar), Jonas Thrana Jensen (bass), and Henrik Dullum (drums) — digs rare traditional tunes out of Norway's folk archives and rearranges them through rock, folk-metal, and jazz improvisation. The Hardanger fiddle, once banned in churches as "the devil's instrument" and now Norway's national instrument, gives the band its distinctive sound. Since their first concert in 2021 they've become one of Norway's most in-demand musical exports, playing Rudolstadt (DE), Sziget (HU), Celtic Connections (Scotland), and Port Fairy Folk Festival (Australia). Debut EP "Tre Danser" (2022, Heilo Records) was followed by debut album "Stubb" (2023). Second full-length "Dreng" was recorded in 2024 and released April 2026 on Heilo / Sounds Like Gold. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail In Nordic Sound #64 I sit down with the voices of Songleikr to discuss the making of their new album "Fuglefolk". We also geek out about birds... just a little bit.  Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail After a long hiatus, the Nordic Sound returns with Jósúa Hróðgeir Rood to talk about Nexion's latest album "Sundrung". Not only is Josh a rising vocal star in the extreme metal scene, but as a scholar he is currently writing my PHD dissertation on Ásatrú as a reinvention of Old Norse Heathenism for the Social and Human Sciences department at University of Iceland. Putting two PhD students in related fields together in a zoom room is typically a recipe for disaster, but I think we managed alright ;) Thanks for the good hang, Josh! Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail What a year to be a Nordic music geek, eh? This is already my fourth year of doing these year-end lists, and looking back, I do believe this year has left the greatest impression on me. Not only as a listener, but as a musician myself. I look forward to what next year has in store, but for now, it's time to reflect and enjoy on the awesome music Nordic artists have brought us this year. Thanks for another great year, everyone, and happy holidays! Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Faber and I had such a good time hanging out for Nordic Sound 52 , that we just had to have him back on the channel to talk about Sowulo’s latest album, NIHT. We also talk about our shared challenges of listening to music as musicians (cognitive vs emotional listening), mythology, paganism, and why we seem to always use esoteric languages in this style of music. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Runahild joins the channel once again for Nordic Sound #61 to chat about her upcoming album (and book!) Seid, in which she takes us through a personal and spiritual journey with "seid" - an ancient Nordic shamanic practice of which there is woefully little archaeological or literary record.  Seid is out October 17th! Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic

Send us Fan Mail Live from the Pike's Peak Center in Colorado Springs, Einar and Jameson sit down for a retrospective on Wardruna’s “Birna” and the historic Fire in the Mountains festival in Montana this past July. Jameson Foster is an ethnomusicologist at the University of Colorado Boulder specializing in Nordic music traditions.  Thumbnail photo: Morten Munthe Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/jamotalksmusic George Mike Carrie and Clan Leigh Bets Clayton Drake Bar Cindy Eric Robert Michael Alex Michael Simon Xander Trevor Mike Jey David Mary Ember Kelly Tony Jamie Bill Alex Sean Birgit You too can support the project at patreon.com/jamotalksmusic