Skáld

Far from the lands of the North, the echoes of such legends still ringout. The beliefs of those who used to populate these distant lands have been perpetuated, and despite the pressures of modern industrial society, the old folk traditions live on. It was in the countries where the people we call Vikings were to be found – Norway, Denmark, Sweden or Iceland – that the Huldufólk ("the hidden people") remained anchored in their everyday lives and traditions. At roadsides, deep in the forests and in the heart of the mountains, elves and trolls huddled together in a discreet coexistence with humankind, melting into a strange and wonderful wilderness. And now, it's from among those people born of a far-off imagination that the poetic, epic sounds of SKÁLD are venturing forward. Immersing listeners into the myths and legends of Scandinavia, producer/composer Christophe Voisin-Boisvinet, creator of SKÁLD, has gathered around them many talented artists who have restored the poets and shamans of ancient times to their rightful place. Accompanied by the sounds of the drums, we are cradled by hypnotic voices that let us escape into an "elsewhere" made of fantasy, a land inhabited by weird and wonderful creatures, and mysteries created in strange landscapes. And so it is that SKÁLD leads modern men and women to flee, far from the harsh realities of everyday life, SKÁLD honours an entire people in whom many Scandinavians still believe. A strange brew, created by dwarves who mixed honey with the blood of the god Kvasir, transformed those who drank it into poets and sages. As the heirs of the ancient poets known as scalds, SKÁLD, with one song after another, tames this folk tradition. We can lose ourselves in the hills of Danish elves , and meet Swedish nymphs, as we listen to the ballad of Herr Mannelig, the tale of a female troll who hopes to become human (by attempting to wed a knight), or linger to the strains of the legend of Fafnir the dragon.