Helleristning

Alapnes was five when she stood in her grandfather’s kitchen in North Norway learning how to hold the fiddle that he’d made. She grew up surrounded by local traditional music so it was no surprise that this music which was part of her life and landscape took her to one of the most prestigious centres for folk studies in Rauland Academy in Telemark.

Her music, a mixture of songs and instrumentals, is still rooted in the North and this, her second album, reaches out in its title to the carvings of the ancient stones, just as her own heritage is carved on her soul. She feels she’s making an impact for the future together with her band who share a passion for finding something new within traditions. Julie sings in Norwegian, her songs the stronger for it, capturing the nuances of dialects and rhythms. Baritone guitar and harmonium bring a warm earthiness to the music and move between melancholy and traditional dance. Drums and percussion often reach out to the almost-nothingness of high tree-tops. Julie has indeed carved a new voice out of her beloved tradition, and never lets go of the strength of the fiddle clasped in her hand.