┌┬┬┐┌─┬─┬─┬┬┬┬─┬─┬┬┐
│ ┤└┤*│││┌┤ │ ┤┌┘ ┤
·--─┘ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────-·
artist · mari boine
release · gula gula
year · 2001
genre · lo-fi
label · universal music norway
catalogue · n/a
website · www.universalmusic.no
date · 07-sep-2005
quality · alt-preset standard
source · vinyl
·--────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────-·
a1 gula gula (the chilluminati mix) 4:44
b1 ale ale don (melodius main mix) 6:30
playtime · 00h 11m 14s
·--────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────-·
mari boineÆs entire musical life is reflected in eight seasons.
she grew up in finnmark, norwayÆs northernmost region, where
christian evangelical churches enjoyed a powerful position, and
the ancient culture of the sami was condemned. although mari soon
adopted an opposing stance, fighting for sami culture, the old
hymns followed her further. in 1991, together with ole paus and
kari bremnes, she recorded salmer pσ veien hjem (hymns on the way
home) and at the wedding of the norwegian crown prince and
princess in august 2001, sang ômu vßibmu vßdjul doppe - hymnö (ômy
heart will always returnö) in sami (track 6). this prompted a
discussion in the christian congregations among the sami about
whether the way she sang, in fact, too closely resembled joik, the
traditional sami way of singing prior to christianisation, since
joiking in church was and remains taboo. when she rebelled against
the norwegianisation of the sami and the contempt for which her
own heritage was held, she sang protest songs to her own guitar
accompaniment. the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s in
norway found many adherents in the north in particular. on eight
seasons she sings ôit die≡eö (you never know, track 9), a song
about love and fate, to a simple guitar accompaniment, joined in,
slowly at first, by roger ludvigsenÆs electric guitar and richard
thomasÆs saxophone. on track 12 as well, ôbottoz a dßhtun!ö (give
me a break!), mari sings, to her own guitar and carlos quispeÆs
flute accompaniment, with the voice of a vulnerable little girl
who only wants to be allowed to be herself.
when she made her breakthrough with the album gula gula, which
appeared first in norway in 1989 and then under peter gabrielÆs
real world label, mari boine had developed her own style, from
these influences, from the traditional sami joik and from
collaboration with her band. after only a short time she stopped
playing the traditional drum at her concerts, because such drums
are too closely identified with the ancient shamans. however, she
has her fellow musicians assume their function, aiming for a
similar mesmerising effect. on eight seasons she also employs a
joik-like vocal technique, and the song lyrics in particular hark
back again and again to the ancient sami realm of the imagination.
in ôsßrßhka viinaö (sßrßhkaÆs wine, track 3), with its guitar
ostinatos and joik passages of nonsense syllables, she sings of
the ancient gods and of their being a source of strength and
protection rather than beings to live in fear of.
in ôsilba vßrjalaö (let silver protect, track 11) mari boine takes
two poems by marry a. somby and kirsti paltto, and develops their
ideas further. in the freedom of the nordic wilderness she invokes
the ancient gods who help her, and chases away those who only seek
to plague her. here old and new musical styles unite most clearly.
joik and electric guitar begin, and then wesseltoftÆs and
ludvigsenÆs loops und lo-fi sounds und kenneth ekornesÆ percussion
propel the piece forward. there are also elements of joik in
ôduottar rßssiô (tundra flower, track 10), here, however,
accompanied by ludvigsenÆs bluesy baritone guitar. quispe
reinforces this surprising combination with his flute
improvisations. mari boine has often said that she has got over
her anger over the suppression of her culture, but in the words
she sings, ôhaving to hide and not let oneself be crushedö still
plays a role. the lyrics to this song were written by nils johan
haetta and tell of how the tundra flower must survive the dark of
winter again and again before it can burst forth again in the
spring.
ôbeaivelottßsö (butterfly, track 7) also employs the motif of
being locked up. however, the lyrics do not come from the sami,
but were written by merle collins, and mari sings her stanzas in
english. mari also sings the stanzas of ôreagßkeahtesö (song for
the unborn, track 2) in english as well, while she sings the
refrain in sami.
ôguovssahasaid ßjßgßttisö (by the source of aurora b, track 4) is
a song of mariÆs homeland ôin the northern part of the worldö,
where she really feels free and can be herself, where she can wear
her own gaily-coloured folk costume, speak her own language and
luxuriate in the gifts of nature. here, too, the combination of
acoustical instruments and sampling plays a role. on eight
seasons, mariÆs voice may not sound as intense as on previous
productions. instead it is clear and relaxed, obviously at ease in
the company of new sounds and well into the groove.
ôsielu dßlkkasö (soul medicine, track 5), another simple song in
several stanzas about the fear of betrayal, floats on a gentle
carpet of rhythm; however ôliegga gokcas sisÆö (in a blanket of
warmth, track 8) is propelled forward by svein schulzeÆs
double-bass, and ludvigsen is given a chance to shine with his
nearly greek-sounding improvisations. here, too, the lyrics deal
with the topic of holding on until the spring. the opening number
on eight seasons shows most clearly the influence of popular dance
music, and is a collaboration not only with bugge wesseltoft, but
also with jan garbarek, who appeared with her at the royal wedding
and to whose records she previously contributed. in ôboa≡an nuppi
bealdeö (i come from the other side, with lyrics by mari boine,
track 1), vocals, saxophone (jan garbarek) and rhythm instruments
are an irresistible combination.
eight seasons is a fruitful collaboration, in which no one has
pulled the others too far in his or her direction. wesseltoft has
given mari boineÆs music an intriguing new dimension, though
without question it has remained mari boineÆs music.
·--────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────-·
visit ln~#klangwerk