Dans fra Dalstrøka

By their own admission, the music of Norwegian sextet Hornorkesteret is hard to describe, and the line-up does little to explain their sound: stringed reindeer antlers, bone flutes, moose skull, glockenspiel, ukelele bass, mandolin and various percussion. So let me say straight away that it’s fun! The rhythmic groans, grunts and whistles will have you on the dance floor in no time, and you’ll soon be humming along to those reindeer antler tunes. Debuting in 1999, Hornokesteret are driven by a deep connection to nature, folklore and traditional music and fired by their own passions for rock, contemporary music, field music and free improv. There are nine new compositions here inspired by a bewitched island, berry-picking, hunting stories and love across the valleys “from a shepherd boy to a mountain maid”, each one affectionately bizarre and witty. They are, I suppose, something like medieval troubadours meeting the Bee Gees.