Feature: Solnedgang Decodes ’Valkyrie’
What was the creative process like for this particular EP?
I decided quite early on what the overall concept should be. I wanted to focus on Norse mythology, and specifically the afterlife, which is surprisingly complicated with several realms you can end up. After the first single, Nornir, I was planning an album, but some of the tracks were taking too long – mainly because I kept writing new stuff. I decided to do an EP first, and now the album is nearly done!
Was there any challenge that you encountered while making 'Valkyrie?'
Nothing too challenging, though it wasn't easy to choose which tracks to include. I wanted to show a bit of variety, but still have a coherent sound. The hardest part was probably arranging each track, with a view that they would work together.
Which track(s) do you like the best and why?
I think musically “Niflhel” is my favourite, I just love the mood and atmosphere of that one. But Lament is the most personal one to me, as it was written in direct response to two close family members passing away within a couple of days of each other. I love the main melody of that one and it always reminds me of them.
Can you tell us more about you as an artist?
I'm from Norway originally, but I've been based in London, UK for the last 15 years or so. I started this project towards the end of 2022, mainly as a way to get back into playing guitar and creating music. It's gone much better than I had anticipated! I try to mix as many of my influences as possible, so my music is inspired by post-rock/metal, post-punk, progressive rock/metal, shoegaze and alternative rock.
How do you use musical elements to convey mood and emotions in your compositions? Are there specific techniques you rely on?
There are some guitar effects that helps a lot to create a certain mood, mainly delay and reverb, plus the general guitar sound of course. Apart from that I just rely on my ear really. I tend to improvise a lot, and I always end up with different melodies and/or riffs to choose from. So it's just a matter of choosing what works best together to create the right emotions. The most important part for me is melody, and everything else is secondary. I find fairly simple melodies work best for pure emotions, and layered sounds in the background for general mood.
