Sjofn
Gjallarhorn's debut made them plenty of friends with its unusual mix of Nordic folk and didgeridoo. The three years since their last disc have given them time to develop their unique sound and return with a highly satisfying album. Singer Jenny Wilhelms has learned to use her voice to its fullest, and her fiddle playing, along with that of Christopher Ohman, provides the melodic base of the band, while the didgeridoo offers an underlying drone, a technique shared by other Nordic bands such asGarmarna. Beautifully arranged, the opener "Suvetar" makes for a seductive entry into an album that constantly amazes with its depth. LikeWimme, the Finnish-based Gjallarhorn are pushing at the bounds of Scandinavian music, even including samples of dolphin sounds on the closing "Sinivatsa." There's little doubt they've evaded the traditional sophomore jinx.--Chris Nickson