Can you give a brief introduction to Valravn?
Søren: In the beginning the core of Valravn was to bring new live to the old Nordic ballads, and to make it modern and more present so we can understand the Poetry and power of it today. Now some years later it’s more like we are 5 musicians playing on strange instruments, mix it with electronic music, and play out loud the feelings and stories we have inside.
Many have described your music, how would you describe it yourself?
Søren: To describe our music in few words we have been using terms as “Folktronica” & “Dark Folk”
I would say your music if a hybrid of old and new music, traditional and new instruments, why combining old and new together? What can the old add to the new and what can the new add to the old?
Søren: To mix Old traditional instruments with modern electronic music instruments gives a unique sound and connects the past and the present, older generations with teens, super silence with storm, the dramatic mind of mankind with the calm atmospheres of an old tree and the open wide.
Another contrast are the quieter and the more energetic moments, how do you find a good balance in that to give the music a great dynamic?
Søren: With lots of work and practice!
How do you work on new songs since you live so far apart, is internet playing a big role in this?
Søren: We are all living close to Copenhagen in Denmark
When creating new songs, do you always work the same way or does everybody send in ideas?
Søren: We are trying new ways of working process all the time,
What is usually first, the electronic parts or the acoustic parts?
Søren: We have songs on the new Valravn CD “Koder på Snor” that contains both working processes.
How do you know that a song is a good song for Valravn?
Søren: When we all like it :)
On the album many different kind of instruments were used, do you have a favorite instrument yourself? Where do you find these instruments and how do you learn to play them?
Søren: We have many favorite instruments. A good place to go if you are looking for strange instruments are the St. Chartier festival in France in the middle of July.
How do you look back on the recording process of ”Koder på snor”? Was it a hard process to record it with all these different instruments?
Søren: No, but it is always a great challenge to work together 5 different persons and end up with one piece of art.
The album has a main theme, can you explain it?
Søren: For us the album “Koder på Snor” contains 9 different songs who all has it’s own mood and color.
It is a common saying that a debut album is the easiest to make since you have years to work on it and that a second album is the hardest. How was this for you, especially since the debut album was a big success? Did it gave a lot of stress?
How are the comments on the album so far?
Søren: Seems like people far and near has been taking Valravn’s music very close to their hearts. And we are very happy for that J
How do you prepare for a tour, do you all come together and rehearse?
Søren: Before every touring season we all meet and having a short practice session for 2-3 days. If there is many new numbers, and a new live set up we also take a few days practicing the set at a venue.
Do the songs on stage deviate from the album versions, do you improvise a lot on stage or try to copy the album versions?
Søren: A few songs have very free arrangements. But most of the songs are arranged pretty close to the CD’s. The big difference from a Valravn CD to a Valravn live performance is that you can not feel the energy and the playing between audience and band if you just have the CD’s. Valravn makes great CD’s but I think they are even better when they perform live :-)
According to many you were the revelation of WGT, how do you look back on the show yourself, were you pleased by it yourself?
Søren: We enjoyed a lot to play at WGT and would love to come back. It is one of the craziest festivals we have ever played on and It has a very friendly atmosphere.
For the people who weren’t there, what can they expect of a Valravn show?
Søren: Silence, explosions, poetry and love
What will be next for Valravn?
Søren: During the summer 2010 We’ll go to Finland, Bulgaria, Norway, Czech Republic, Germany, Russia and Sweden.
Any last words for the readers?
Søren: If you like to find out more about Valravn check out Valravn’s homepage, Myspace & Facebook
www.myspace.com/valravn
www.valravn.net
www.facebook.com/Valravn