Ande Somby — Yoiking with the Winged Ones (Ash International)

In a stroke of genius, Yoiking with the Winged Ones captures a solo vocal performance by Norwegian Sámi artist Ande Somby not just outdoors, but with Chris Watson, formerly of industrial pioneers Cabaret Voltaire but now a leading figure in the realm of field recordings, doing the recordings and editing the final results. The ancient tradition of yoik, which the Sámi across the far north of Europe (Lapland, essentially) have been doing pretty much since time immemorial, is intrinsically linked to the land and nature. By formally uniting the two on this disc, both Somby and Watson give what may be the most authentic rendition of yoiking that people unfamiliar with the art form are likely to encounter. Short of shifting their butts and actually visiting the Sámi heartlands, that is, which is a good idea in itself.

Ande Somby is apparently something of a rarity in modern yoik traditions in that, at least on Yoiking with the Winged Ones, he performs yoiks of his own composition. There are several narrative threads running through them. One is from the mythology of the Sámi, who supposedly learned about yoiking from elves and faeries before a war was declared on the fantastical beings (a metaphor for the plundering of the land by the Norwegian authorities). Another alludes to the Greek tale of Echo being spurned by Narcissus via a powerful echo that colors Somby’s own voice throughout the record (I like to think naturally as he yells into the wind, but it may be a trick of the production). This installs him as a voice of nature, with nature calling back to him via the residues of his own voice. Mother Earth is a strong presence across Yoiking with the Winged Ones, from the reference to birds in its title, to the “Wolf” of the lengthy fourth track, down to the very surroundings it was captured in.

It is there that, surrounded by chirping birds, the rustle of grass and faint gusts of wind, Ande Somby launches his voice into the ether on all four tracks, pausing frequently as if to let the listener drink in the echo of his voice and the surrounding world he projects it into. Yoik is a singular form of singing, very austere and sparse, with lengthy pauses between lines and no musical accompaniment, which makes for a both challenging and fascinating experience. Somby’s voice will be an acquired taste for some, as it cracks and strains at certain points. Make no mistake, however, he is a master of his art, and whilst I could not understand a word of what he was singing, I was struck by the emotional potency on all four tracks, from bracing opener “Gufihttar (underworld fairie)” to the more intricate, echo-less, phrasings on “Wolf”, on which Somby seems to lead us into a mysterious, labyrinthine tale, the secrets of which are never revealed.

Chris Watson does a masterful job in elevating Yoiking with the Winged Ones above the status of mere ethnographic curio into a work that bridges ancient tradition and modern music listening with aplomb. And Ande Somby is a charismatic, soulful performer with a gripping delivery. I can pretty much guarantee there won’t be another album this startling and steeped in history released in 2016.

Joseph Burnett