Hypnus Records's video: Ntogn - Brokks Eldar

https://tomerecords.bandcamp.com/album/smedjan It's been three years since the chapter of Ntogn's Tome was written and now we're glad to share with you the result of his venture through the recent winter. 'Smedjan' is inspired by the dwarven craftmanship of Norse mythology. It is made completely with organic sounds gathered from, and recorded in, the forests of Bålsta which is rich with northern heritage. Everything you hear is either processed textures of birch wood blocks, layers of a custom made Ukrainian artisan mouth harp or the artist's own voice. There is no synthesis in this record. The kick drums are made by hitting these pieces of wood against each other with contact microphones. Bass layers are extracted from bark scraping against bark. Hi hats are crafted by recorded fire of the same wood logs burning and ambiance is built from the forests where the trees grew and from the woodshed where the artist chopped the wood during winter to keep his cabin warm. The rhythms and sounds in this shed is what inspired the making of this record. By shaping these sounds of wood and metal Ntogn strives to create a sonic experience that connects the listener to the the old Norse stories of the dwarven craftsmanship of Svartalfheim. It is they who made the famous trinkets and weapons that empower the gods of Asgård through stories of trickery and despair which has later inspired tales and literature for over a thousand years. The record has been distilled from material that was meant to become a two-hour live set specifically made for Mo:dem festival which was unfortunately cancelled due to the corona pandemic. It was also the foundation of the artist's thesis at the university of sound design where he made a study of the effects of organic sound on an electronic expression such as techno music. Body. Mind. Spirit. Credits: Produced and mixed by Michel Iseneld Artwork by Gabriella Holmström