Northern Nights: Music from the Top of the World

Various Artists - New Age | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 1999)
• Original Release Date: July 13, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Climate Records
• ASIN: B00000JLJB
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #243,640 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #62 in Music > World Music > Europe > Scandinavia > General

Track Listings

1. Heiemo Og Nykkjen

2. Folketone Fra Sunnmore (Folk Tune from Sunnmore)

3. Viimesen Kerran (The Very Last Time)

4. Hilddá Luohti [Hilda's Song]

5. Forgiving

6. Minne (Where)

7. Hildring

8. Krishna's Cousin

9. Fallande Angel

10. Cantabile

11. Donninger Fra Havet

12. Gidda/Ending

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Scandanavian music on Northern Nights is difficult to characterize: elements of Celtic, folk, Russian, and New Age all flow together for exotic, stunningly beautiful music. With a selection of songs from such premiere artists as Kirsten Bråten Berg and Hedningarna vocalist Kurki-Suonio, the collection radiates a dark, icy melancholy created from gentle guitar, violin, synth, and voice. Every song carries its own unique ambience, but Hege Rimestad's "Krishna's Cousin" typifies the lovely sound found throughout the album. With fretless bass, aching fiddle, deep drums, and floating vocals, "Cousin" rings softly, reminding one of an Icelandic Loreena McKennitt. In contrast, "Hilddá Luohti" has a touch of Asia in its delicate Yungchen Lhamo-esque vocals and gamelan-like sounds. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, sensual, representative, modern, September 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Northern Nights: Music from the Top of the World (Audio CD)

I bought this CD for myself and then I took a long trip to Oslo and Finland and brought it along. We had a birthday party for me in Oslo and it was all guys, just by accident. They were playing this hard-driving electronic music, as guys are prone to do and I said to my sweetie, I can't take it: it's my party, let's put on that Northern Nights CD. So we did and everyone calmed down and started conversing in a civilized manner and they were impressed by this music from their own damn lands and trying to figure out the dialects in the lyrics and so on. What a great experience for me and everyone else, too. The music isn't just traditional; it's modern and beautiful and comes from a place deep in the roots of the landscape and culture

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good exposure to Nordic Music, April 18, 2003

By 

chefdevergue (Spokane, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Northern Nights: Music from the Top of the World (Audio CD)

A lot of people might describe this CD as "mood music" or New Age, which would be enough to send me running in the opposite direction. I prefer to describe it as a good anthology of contemporary Nordic music, reflecting some traditional elements. If you want to relax and bliss out to this CD you should have no problem, but if you enjoy complex, sophisticated music, you also will find this to be a most satisfying CD.

My only quibble is a complete lack of liner notes. However, the CD does provide the various albums that these tracks came from, in case you want to hear more of a particular artist's music. Every track can be found on other CDs.

If you are not familiar with many Nordic artists, then this will be a very useful CD to give you some exposure!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting, mysterious,lovely music from Scandinavia, July 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Northern Nights: Music from the Top of the World (Audio CD)

I don't know much about the music of Scandinavia, but it has not stopped me from blissing out to this compilation. One of the most consistently beautiful listening experinces I have had with a disc. Heart breakingly lovely vocal and equally mesmerizing instrumental tracks flow together seamlessly. Treat yourself to this record!