Erlend Viken Trio explores new roads on their new album. The first single, 'Byrsevegen' (Byrse Road), is out today.

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The tracks on the album are inspired by Norwegian folk music, rock, and desert blues, and each one tells its own little story, connected to a place or a road, which is also reflected in the album's title (Wild Roads). Erlend shares the story behind Byrsevegen:

“When we were on tour in Western Norway in 2023, we had a day off between concerts, so we decided to visit Halling dancer Torkjell Børsheim in Ulvik. We stayed in an old house on the Kvemmadokkje farm, where we spent the day rehearsing and started working on this track. The title of the song is named after the farm road leading up to Kvemmadokkje, Byrsevegen.”

Erlend further explains the songwriting process:

“I find inspiration in experiences, relationships, and nature. I’m also inspired by other music, folk music from around the world, improvisational music, and contemporary musicians. I work in various directions with musicians, dancers, and artists, which influences my own thoughts and ideas about music. I often start with dance forms or rhythms from traditional Norwegian folk music, but it’s rare that the music I create sounds traditional. That’s not really my goal either. I’d say that my compositions are often rooted in folk music, but there are also nuances and inspirations from elsewhere that often emerge in my music.”

One of the challenges that engages Erlend the most is finding room for contemporary expressions and contributing to making them a natural part of a living folk music tradition. The trio is not aiming for a traditional soundscape. The musicians’ wide range of genres, playfulness, and desire to explore, bring the music on new journeys every time. This creates their unique band sound, where the trio continues to explore the meeting between structured melodic material and open spaces within the music. Producer Olav Torget, with extensive experience across various genres, has played a key role in arranging and shaping the music. On several tracks, he also contributes as a musician, playing the African instrument konting (n’goni). Additionally, they’ve collaborated with vocalist Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen on two tracks. The result of this collaboration can be heard on the album, which will be released on CD, LP, and digitally on October 25th.