Elias Akselsen: Høstdrømmar
MIC’s Listen to Norway series continues with Elias Akselsen’s Høstdrømmar.
The tormented history of Norway’s Romanis, the Tater people, is the focal point for Elias Akselsen’s ‘Høstdrømmar’. This ethnic minority has throughout history been subject to persecution and racism from all layers of the Norwegian society, and to this day it remains a dark spot on Norway’s human rights record. The collective pain felt by a people forced to take upon such hardship is vividly portrayed in their song tradition. Many of the traditionals interpreted by Akselsen, who himself is a tater, go back centuries, but they still hold painful relevance today. These are tunes that were recorded prior to Akselsen’s breakthrough on the domestic scene, and are now finally available to a wider audience. As on the previous and hugely successful Akselsen releases, the repertoire on ‘Høstdrømmar’ is centred on religious ballads that are delivered with a presence and vocal performance that will make your spine tingle. Akselsen’s powerful voice conveys the anger, frustration and fear experienced by a persecuted minority.
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