World-famous French Nordic folk collective Skáld have announced plans for the first leg of their debut North American headlining tour this April in support of their third album Huldufólk due January 20 via Decca Records France / Decca Records U.S. (UMG). The band will kick off the tour stateside on April 12 in New York City at Le Poisson Rouge and will continue across the east coast and Midwest before making their way up to Canada where they’ll complete their routing April 19 at Theatre Fairmount in Montreal. Skáld were last seen in 2022 on a headlining tour across Europe and have been showcased at several of Europe’s major festivals including Hellfest (FR), Wacken (DE), Rock Oz’Arenes (CH) and Motorcultor Festival (FR). Find tickets at skald.lnk.to.
Dates:
April
12 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
13 – Boston, MA – The Middle East
14 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
15 – Columbus, OH – Ace Of Cups
16 – Chicago, IL – Reggies
18 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
19 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Fairmount
Skáld have also shared the third track from Huldufólk. It’s a distinctive cover of Rammstein’s hit single “Du Hast” with Skáld’s Viking-style Nordic folk spin which includes the use of traditional Scandinavian instrumentation dating back to the 14th century and shamanic percussion.
Skáld recently paid homage to ancient Nordic poets (aka skalds) by singing in Old Norse and other Scandinavian languages (Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Faroese) along with using instrumentation dating back to the 14th century such as the nyckelharpa, Lyre, hurdy-gurdy, Moraharpa and Talharpa, underpinned with shamanic percussion to create their transfixing sound.
The collective shared the second single, “Då Månen Sken,” from their forthcoming album Huldufólk due January 20 via Decca Records France / Decca Records U.S. (UMG). “Då Månen Sken” translates to “When The Moon Shone” and tells the lore of the Swedish mythical femme-fatale Skogsrå, a forest nymph who lures men and binds their soul to the forest.
"‘Då Månen Sken’ is a ballad that tells the story of a skogsrå, a forest nymph, who bewitched the young Björn,” relays Skáld. “Björn was a tall, handsome boy on his way to a party one fall evening. On his way, he met this nymph who bewitched him. He will end up alone and melancholic, obsessed by the sound of the forest.”
Formed by producer/composer Christophe Voisin-Boisvinet in 2018, Skáld is a collective of over a dozen musicians who have restored the folklore and myths from poets, Vikings and shamans of ancient times and distant lands. Huldufólk (“the hidden people”) honors an entire people in whom many Scandinavians still believe—elves, trolls, witches, fairies and otherworldly creature that live deep in the forests and in the heart of the mountains that discreetly coexist with humankind. The album’s debut single “Troll Kalla Mik” (“They Call Me Troll”), released on November 18, shared the lore of the “hidden people” with a mystifying music video.
Huldufólk’s cover artwork (seen below) is a tribute to Swedish painter and illustrator John Baur’s illustration “Princess Tuvstarr Gazing Down Into The Dark Waters Of The Forest Tarn.” Baur is best known for his illustrations of early editions of Bland Tomtar Och Troll (Among Gnomes and Trolls), an anthology of Swedish folklore and fairy tales which are highlighted throughout Huldufólk.
Pre-order Huldufólk digitally and/or on CD, LP, including bundles with a protective troll amulet and leather cord at this location.
(Photo – Die Frau)
