Tagal by Kvedarkvintetten

                   

Once in a while you come across some seriously involved human beings who are not only copying some sort of templates and traditions but they also introduce some interesting elements of their own into the work that they are putting in such a way that you touch a depth and richness of harmony that is just impossible to fully appreciate.

Such is the case of newest album of Kvedarkkvintetten ''Julesong''

This album features music that was composed by Jorun Marie Rypdal Kvernberg.

Behind this album lies a very interesting concept which puts the whole vocal aspect into question. As the title ''Tagal'' means ''to be mute'', ''wordless'' or simply '' to keep silent'' it opens us up to the possibility of the vocal music that the literary, text part is absent.

Jorun Marie has been fascinated with unison singing since she was a young student. It begged the question when she listened to such vocal groups as Tiriltunga and Dvergmål : how is it possible to create such harmonies without dissonance. A seamless work and an obvious one, too. This helped her to start to think that she could possibly create something in this modal. That is how Tagal came to being.

After learning that Kvedarkvintetten could possibly perform the music, she started making preparations towards creating the whole set of songs and put all the pieces together.

Her personal experience as a fiddler was of a jealous one towards singers that had lyrics and the narratives they contained and conveyed. But funnily enough the singers are in a position to dream of being performers that are not dependent on the text - consequently not dictating the musical choices they are making.

There seemed no more perfect choice of performers than Kvedarkvintetten. 

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The result is an excellent blend of ideas tuned to the form.

All of the ten tracks on ''Tagal'' have their own narrative - takes you beyond the formulaic folk song and vocal music. A true experiment that is both energising and involving and has beautiful energy behind it.

Kvedarkvintetten is:

Silje Risdal Liahagen (vokal)

Tonje Risdal Liahagen (vokal)

Sina Myhr (vokal)

Margit Myhr (vokal)

Helga Myhr (vokal)

https://kvedarkvintetten.bandcamp.com/album/tagal