Biosphere and Ánde Somby – whose album “Yoiking With The Winged Ones” will be released on vinyl and download by Ash International in January 2016 – are both featured in BBC Radio 3’s “Northern Lights: Tromso” programme.
As part of Radio 3’s Northern Lights season, Petroc Trelawny explores musical responses to the dark northern winters in Tromso, the Norwegian “capital of the Arctic”.
Petroc explores the region’s rich folk music heritage, with its traditions from northern Norway and from the Sami people, known for their yoik style of singing. He visits the folk music collection at the Tromsø Museum with curator Ola Graff, meets with Sami singers Ande Somby and Berit Alette Mienna, and sees children at one of the city’s primary schools continuing the yoiking tradition.
Tromsø is also well known for its cutting-edge electronic music scene. One of the genre’s pioneers is Geir Jenssen, aka Biosphere, who uses the Arctic landscape both as inspiration for his electronic music, and literally, with field recordings including the sound of frozen lakes. He takes Petroc on a journey of sonic discovery around the fjords, tunnels and snow-capped peaks near his home on the island of Senja.
The North Norwegian Opera and Symphony Orchestra, and amateur choir Arctic Voices are also featured in this 45 minute broadcast and downloadable podcast.
