Amidst Norwegian music constellation Wardruna´s song-writing hibernation, the group resurfaces to offer a taste of their next album with the single release and music video for the song Hertan.
The song is available on all digital streaming platforms now.
wardruna.lnk.to/hertan
“Hertan is the proto-Scandinavian word for Heart and that is what we explore in this song and film. The duality of the heart with the rhythm, flow and pulse we can see, hear and feel in nature and in all forms of life – and the more abstract idea of the heart, The rudder on the ship of emotions, our decisions, and our true desires.” Says Wardruna composer and vocalist, Einar Selvik.
Once again, Wardruna teamed up with Finnish director and photographer Tuukka Koski for the video production of Hertan. Koski has previously directed Wardruna´s videos for Raido, Voluspá, and Grá. This time, the production mainly took place during some freezing nights in northern Finland at the island of Hailouto.
Einar continues: “It is always a true pleasure to create art with Tuukka as well as his colleagues at Breakfast Helsinki! His experience and eye for detail as well as the ability to always conjure up next-level material, is very inspiring to be part of. Three days, three locations, no sleep but a lot of heart. This is how it went down. Hope you will enjoy the result!
The video is directed by Tuukka Koski
Produced by Breakfast Helsinki
DOP: Hena Blomberg F:S:C
Equipment and Studio: Valofirma
Post production: Post Control Helsinki
Color Grade by Sarrah Wilkman
Hertan Cover Artwork credits:
Picture by Tuukka Koski
Design by Øivind Myksvoll
Special thanks to Karen Pacius for being our wise Crone!
Wardruna merges the academic with the pop cultural and their thorough and serious approach has made them one of today’s foremost communicators of Norse culture.
Since forming in 2009, Wardruna have achieved vast worldwide success, transcending music genres, cultures and languages. Giving a voice to the ancient craft that once lay at the foundation of ancient Norse oral traditions the group have carved a rich, polyphonic and dramatic musical landscape that honours the ancient past, whilst simultaneously illuminating meaningful expressions of Norse tradition through intrinsically detailed contemporary composition.
Beyond genre, theirs is a sound that must be truly experienced.
Making significant use of Nordic historical and traditional instruments including deer-hide frame drums, flutes, kraviklyra, tagelharpe, mouth harp, goat horn, and lur. And incorporating themes of Northern sorcery, spirit-animals, shadows, nature, mythology and animism, Wardruna create are something primal, stirring within the listener a sense of yearning and connection with Mother Earth and our ancient past.
Wardruna’s massive musical contributions to the TV series Vikings and group leader, Einar Selvik’s musical work on the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla video game have further exposed their music to a broad audience worldwide. Their first concert was held in front of the near 1500 year old Gokstad Viking ship in Oslo. Since then they have performed sold out shows worldwide, headlined most major music festivals, performed ‘“Voluspá” live with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in 2023, joined Faroese singer-songwriter Eivør and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra for a symphonic concert series. Einar Selvik has also performed on national Norwegian television with electronic dance music DJ Matoma.
Wardruna have released five full-length albums, the first three, the Runaljod trilogy, are based on Norse runes, the fourth based on the sayings of Odin from the Völuspá and other old Norse sources. Their fifth album, Kvitravn (White-Raven) released in 2021, charted in 13 countries, including #1 on the Australia iTunes World Music chart!
The Kvitravn album cycle saw, Wardruna headline Wacken in Germany and Hellfest in France in 2022 and also saw them perform at historic sites, such as Ancient Theater in Plovdiv and Castle Devin, Bratislava during the Nordic Night Tour. During the autumn equinox on September 21, 2023, Wardruna performed at the world heritage site Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis, Athens. The concert at the Acropolis was the culmination of an intense period of touring, with successful shows in the United States, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the United Kingdom.
Now in 2024 Wardruna announce the beginning of a vibrant new cycle, pulsating with life with the release of new single, Hertan.
