Folk music meets Heavy Rock on “Gamle-Erik,” marking the kickoff of their nationwide tour of Norway this spring.
Over the past year, MÍO have received significant positive attention for bringing something new to the Norwegian music scene – both as an unforgettable live band and for their innovative genre-blending. When they debuted with ‘Ingen tid å miste’ [No time to lose] in the summer of 2023, their music was described as “restless Folk Rock from and for a chaotic world, with virtuosic details and an approach to the rawness of the musical source material that breaks all boundaries.” Now, MÍO are releasing a new song and they persist in blending the realms of folk music and heavy rock, creating a harmonious fusion that captivates the senses!
March 15, 2024 marks the release of their new single “Gamle-Erik,” which tells the story of a pact with the devil, made in the pursuit of achieving dreams. This is a tale found in various forms, recurring across cultures worldwide and throughout history. “Gamle-Erik” is one of the names for the devil that often appears in Nordic Folklore and Folk tales. The name was used to avoid saying his “true” name, which was believed to bring misfortune.
Stream the track through the Spotify player below:
Strea here: https://found.ee/P9RvZ
MÍO use this ancient tale to describe something eternally relevant, even in modern times; that people are willing to sacrifice everything in the pursuit of self-realization and success. The song has long been a live favorite for the band and the audience alike, especially due to its theatrical performance. When MÍO perform “Gamle-Erik” live, vocalist Dionisia usually puts on a shawl and begins the adventure with “Once upon a time…” which leads into the song. It all ends with the devil coming to claim the lost soul he has been promised, and together they descend to the underworld.
Vocalist Dionisia Fjelldalen says:
I am very fascinated by universal, immortal tales and stories. Bassist Marianne and I talked about placing “Gamle-Erik” in modern times, and the devil is also a symbolic image used a lot in the old Hard Rock that we are very inspired by. So we were free to experiment with the intersection between doom and folk music, between Black Sabbath and Norwegian Folk music group “Bukkene Bruse.” There’s actually a lot in common there!
MÍO combines Folk, Rock and Punk in a unique way. With the Fuzzy hardingfele, dynamic arrangements, and a front vocalist with an enormous vocal range and captivating storytelling ability, the folk-rock group have established themselves as one of Norway’s most exciting up-and-coming bands. After extensive concert activity (including Midgardsblot, Telemarkfestivalen, Oslo Pride, etc.), they have won over audiences all over the country with gripping, energetic performances.
The Oslo-based band has strong ties to the alternative underground scene, especially the Blitz milieu in Oslo, and celebrate the single release with a release concert at Blitz on Saturday, March 16th. The concert marks the beginning of an extensive round of touring in Norway spring 2024, where the band will visit all major cities in the country as well as the music industry convention ‘Sørveiv’ in Kristiansand in April.
Lineup:
Dionisia Fjelldalen / Vocals
Maja Hveding Styffe / Hardanger Fiddle
Jakob Nome / Guitar
Marianne Friisberg Larssen / Bass
Henrik Hagen Johnsen / Organ and Harmonica
Eilif Hallingstad Finnseth / Drums