We are starting to look forward to playing at FOLKELARM in Oslo next week - please check out the festival program and come check us out at the Rikscenen or at the Lavvo.
Og fyrir Íslendinga í Oslo - verið velkomin á Aðventuhátíð Íslensku kirkjunnar í Noregi sunnudaginn 27. nóvember í sænsku Margaretakirkjunni. Ljúf og hátíðleg jólatónlist, hugleiðingar, jólasaga, heitt kakó og kaffi <3
We were asked by the beautiful people of Vévaki to be a supporting act, along with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (HÖH) allherjargoði, and JDFR, during their release concert 13/11 of their brand new album FÓRNSPEKI. Please check out their music on all streaming platforms, and enjoy nordic heathenism and ritualistic soundscapes at its very best <3 <3 <3
We just came back from France where we did a short concert tour in Strasbourg. For the occasion of the incoming Icelandic presidency of the Council of Europe (11/2022 - 05/2023) - check out the cultural program for the next 6 months - Umbra performed at the Hemicycle of the European Parliament at the World Forum for Democracy, which was then followed up by a Opening Concert performance at the beautiful Église Saint Guillaume, hosted by our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, the new President of the Committee of Ministers. The concert was sold out and we were so warmly received that we will need to find ways to return! If not only for the local fine delicious foods! Many thanks to the entire Icelandic permanent committee of the European Council for their seamless organization of all events, Cyril Pallaud organist and artistic director of the St Guillaume church for his hospitality, and to all those who attended the events at the Hemicycle and St Guillaume.
We are pretty thrilled to have participated for the first time in the music celebration that is WOMEX. Where have we been all this time?!? We met up with a ton of new friends, made a ton more, saw absolutely fantastic showcases from artists from all over the world, enjoyed beautiful Lisbon to the fullest. See you in A Coruña ‘23 <3
We have been receiving heartwarming reviews for our new album BJARGRÚNIR - in many different languages! Here is an excerpt from some (in their respectful original languages);
Rootstime.be (Dani Heyvaert): “Maar…zelfs ondergetekende herkende de melodie van bij voorbeeld “”Karlamagnúsakvædi” en van “Meyarmissir’, wat flink wat bijdroeg tot het appreciëren van een plaat waar de schoonheid elke seconde van afdruipt; de vrouwen zingen onvoorstelbaar prachtig en de arrangementen zijn van een subtiliteit, die je als vanzelf met een kerkomgeving associeert. Dit is gevonden vreten voor mensen die van zang houden en de tijd willen nemen om zich in stemmenpracht onder te dompelen!”
Stacja Islandia (Marcin Kozicki): “Moim zdaniem w szeroko pojętym gatunku nordic medieval folk Umbra plasują się w ścisłej światowej czołówce. To co dziewczyny zrobiły na „Bjargrúnir” nie mieści się w głowie zwykłego śmiertelnika i nosi znamiona prawdziwej Sztuki….Twórczość zespołu Umbra zasługuje na niewyobrażalny szacunek. Dawno nie słuchałem tak wciągających i absolutnie absorbujących folkowych dźwięków. Majstersztyk. Pradawna magia.”
Morgunblaðið (Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen): “Hljóðheimurinn hér kallar sannarlega fram eitthvað „íslenskt“ og já, harðræðið og myrkrið rúllar þarna um rásirnar….Lög eins og „Stóðum tvö í túni“ og „Grafskript“ sem maður þekkir í gegnum Þursa eru útsett með Umbruhætti og er það vel. Annað líður fagurlega um eyru og maður finnur vel fyrir þeirri ástríðu og þeim hjartatóni sem þessi magnaða sveit klæðir verk sín einatt í.”
Roots Music Report (Joe Ross): “With meticulous attention to detail and high-quality audio recording, the women of Umbra could be considered Icelandic song-carriers as they sweetly sing wistful remembrances of bygone days in songs such as “Amid the Town We Twain Stood” (Stóðum tvö í túni), “The Mirror of Friendship” (Vinaspegill), “In the Firths” (Fagurt er í fjörðum) and “The Moon Quatrains” (Mánavísur)….Carefully cultivated, enchanting music lends immediacy and accessibility to the story songs. Delicate and passive reflections on life in beautiful melancholic moments retain emotional depth without ever sounding anachronistic.”
KulturPort.De (Claus Friede): “… keine rückwärtsgewandten Mittelalter-Freaks, sondern professionell in Island und den Niederlanden ausgebildete Musikerinnen, die zwischen Alter- und Neuer Musik beheimatet sind.”…”Der Bereich der Folk-Musik gehört gleichwertig ins Repertoire und ist häufig fließend, so auch hier. Nichts für Schubladen-Fetischisten.”
