Faroese violinist Angelika Hansen and Berlin based harpist and photographer Thomas Loefke combine their own compositions – a hybrid of Celtic and Nordic music – with traditional music from the Faroe islands and Ireland, and photography of North Atlantic landscapes, people and nature. With violin, harp and pictures the two musicians take their audiences on a breathtaking adventurous journey to the North Atlantic: Tory Island in the Northwest of Ireland, the Shetlands, Lofoten in the East, Iceland in the North and right in the middle: the Faroe Islands.
Their new album “Norðan 2“ contains 14 original compostions by either Angelika or Thomas, a tune written for Norðan by Faroese composer Kristian Blak, a piece by Shetland fiddler Jenna Reid and a traditional slow air from Ireland.
North Atlantic islands like Stora Dimun, gannets and hedgehogs, boats, valleys and hidden lakes like Fjallavatn inspire the music on this album – and Angelika’s two daughters Bjørk and Brá who lend their names to two of Angelika’s compositions.
On 11 tracks Angelika and Thomas are joined by Scottish guitarist Ian Melrose. Other contributors on occasional tracks are cellist Hannah Alkire and guitarist Joe Scott from Colorado, singer Sanna Bæk Hoydal and keyboarder Finnur Hansen from the Faroe Islands and Berlin based Norland Wind guitarist Kerstin Blodig.
Angelika Hansen is the Faroe Island’s number one traditional fiddle player. With deep roots in the musical tradition of her home country she also feels at home in jazz and classical music. After growing up in a musical family, she studied music in Reykjavik and Copenhagen. With her band “Kvonn” (“Angelika” in the Faroese language), the Faroese Symphony Orchestra, with the Jazz formation Yggdrasil, with Aldubaran, with Norland Wind, with accordionist Anna Hüdepohl or as solo artist she has toured all over Europe, the USA, Australia, Japan and Greenland.
Thomas Loefke learnt his trade in Dublin from Ireland’s leading harp players – Máire Ní Cháthasaigh, Helen Davies and Áine Ní Dhúill. Since 1984 he has toured across Europe, North-Amerika and New Zealand and has won several international prizes, including first prize at the O’Carolan Harp Festival. He regularily tours with Riverdance-fiddler Máire Breatnach, with Kerstin Blodig and Ian Melrose as Norland Wind, with Colorado based cello / guitar-duo Acoustic Eidolon, pianist Lutz Gerlach and as soloist.
