photo: Carlos H. JuicaDeath Songs
Death Songs is a new project by Stine Janvin and Morten Joh. In the pair's first musical collaboration, they draw inspiration from music related to death and mourning. In particular, they take as their starting point, the tradition of 'Liksong' from the region in Norway where they are both born and raised. 'Liksong' translates to 'Corpse Song' and describes the by now extinct custom in which a small group of singers would lead rural funeral processions using a severely slowed down singing style with a special tonality creating a certain eerie atmosphere. Analysis of archive recordings reveal the use of neutral intervals – scale steps intoned right in the middle of the regular major and minor steps. Death Songs focus on recreating these tonalities postulating an ancient voice-driven, microtonal electronic music in which gloomy synth chords meet language from previous centuries.
Presented at Stavanger Konserthus, Tou Scene, (O)utpost Festival, UH-fest, Budapest and Silent Green, Berlin and RIMI/IMIR Scenekunst.
Stine Janvin – voice and electronics
Morten Joh – synths and percussion