Music: Origami Arktika Interview

Our Take

Origami Arktika is an ambient/drone group based in Norway, and is part of a cultural network called Origami Republika. The latest album from the group, Trollebotn, sees Origami Arktika putting a unique spin on local folklore. To learn more about this unique group and their newest album I had the chance to ask some questions of vocalist Rune Flaten.

Give us some history on Origami Arktika as well as some information on who is a part of it today.

Arktika started years ago, without me... I can't really give you the story behind the start of the band, except that Tore A02, Deathprod A04, B9 A07, Per A11, Elisabeth A15, Bjarne A16 and Boe A22 were parts of the band at different stages. I joined for a tour of Canada in 1999, with Kai A80, Kjell Ø A34, Bjarne A16 and Boe A22. Boe quit (so he thinks, anyways) in '05. We enlisted Kjell O A228 in '05, Per Gisle A111 in '06, and the eminent Kjell R A159 joined us in 2003 - I think... The band was a more or less loose construction until 1999, from whence we have had a half-way fixed set-up. History? You'd have to be there. I could tell some stories, though. The old line up mostly played naked, we prefer to dress up as it is cold here.

What has helped the group to stay in existence for more than 15 years?

Hah. The obvious thing. We love playing together. Always a great party. Not all of us have been in for the whole period, to put it mildly. Like the whole organism, a certain element of flux is important to keep from stagnating.

Trollebotn compiles various folklore from the Seljford, Telemark region in Norway. What made you decide to follow these particular folklore/legends?

Seljord (note spelling) is the county where my parents have their farm, so I am fairly well versed in the local culture. It seemed like a good idea to stay local, while maintaining a global view. We hope the music carries influences from the greater folklore, while the themes are very local. And still; love, debauchery, drunkenness, betrayal and trolls. Don't we all struggle with these. Our problems and concerns are so much alike, where ever you might be from.

As your group seems to be committed to helping preserve these legends by retelling them through your music, what else do you think can be done to be sure that they aren't lost to the ages?

If they are lost, they will be retold. In a way, the stories we tell are lost. In retelling them, we are making new stories, adapting them to our cultural background. The shape of the story might be intact, but each generation will have to find meaning related to their needs in them, or the stories will perish. With new meaning, it changes into a whole new story, even with the same characters and actions. Our culture (yours and mine) is obsessed with the preservation of the past. A past without content is meaningless. The content a story had a century, or maybe 700 years ago, is lost to us. What remains is the husk, the shell, the outlines and the action. And we must fill it with our own story.

Trollebotn was recorded on a remote island. Describe how that worked, as well as what the overall experience was like.

Beautiful. But a bit troublesome. We had to haul the equipment, food and beer by boat. Once installed, we were in the middle of nature, water around us, great big trees and the campfire almost between the instruments. It certainly added an ambience and a mood to the music. We'd wake up, go diving with the sea-serpent, and start playing in the middle of the day. We'd go on until it all turned into a party at nighttime. Wonderful days. Unbelievable weather, and a helpful hand from our friend Olaus and his dog Irgi, who kept us in good food and high spirits.

How have listeners reacted to this album so far? How do you think English speaking listeners would react to the release considering its in a foreign language?

Language doesn't seem to matter that much, at least not for the audience that's attracted to our music. We've had only wonderful reviews, and quite a few of them. I listen to a lot of music where I don't understand the lyrics, and a lot of music without lyrics at all. It's not always that important. That said, there is naturally a reason for including all the lyrics and an English retelling, so as to give non-Norwegian listeners an idea about the contents of the song. This is because most of the songs do have a message of some sorts; I feel there is an overall theme to the album. But don't get caught up in the lyrics. Listen to the music, the vocals being a part of it.

How often does Origami Arktika play live and have you ever played outside of Norway? If so are there any plans to come to any other countries in the future?

We play live, naturally. All acoustic, 7 persons, lots of interesting 'other' instruments. We've toured Poland and Canada, and would love to go anywhere. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Playing live is a great motivation, and I dare say we are a worthwhile band to watch, you can see how all the sounds are made on stage.

Norway seems like an extremely interesting country. As many of our readers are US based, perhaps you can give us some facts about the country that we don't know?

Ever had whale meat? We make horrible liquor, interesting traditional dishes, have lots of nature, and living in Norway is generally very expensive. That's for the board of Tourism. How to describe my Norway. People are friendly, but distant. It is snowing here now, cold and dark. That does something to the psyche of a people. We were a very conformed socialist country up until the 1980's, but thanks to more immigration and the oil we insist on selling to the rest of the world, we have places to go out and money to spend there. Not that the money has done the country as such a lot of good. One out of ten is now registered as unfit for work, and receives welfare from the state. Kids stay kids until they are in their forties, in the worst sense. It's not that I particularly like adults, I just like them even less when they refuse to grow up. Norway, like everywhere, has good and bad sides. Come see for yourself, but bring a lot of money. Oslo nightlife is good, and the fjords are actually quite a sight.

Have any other art forms influenced your music (such as books, movies, games, etc.)?

Yes. Everything. Thank you. Our one Kjell did his master thesis on road movies, and now works at the Norwegian Film Institute. Kai makes strange movies himself. Games, not to my awareness, although I once had a brief but wonderful affair with a game developer. Bjarne has an exhibition at a gallery downtown right now. Together with him and Kai I've done some performance art. Another Kjell is really into Viking reenactment. We all read strange stuff, great diversity, but I couldn't really go into what the others like to read. I like mostly history, history of religion and old travel books. Oh - and cartoons! I know a few of us love cartoons. Do you know Christopher Nielsen? He's got a movie coming out in the US soon, called 'Free Jimmy'. http://www.freejimmy.com. That'd teach you all a lot about Norway... Anyways, he started with cartoons. Personal US favorites would be Love&Rockets.

Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Remember that we are just one small facet of the whole Origami Republika, with more than 250 agents around the world. The Republika is a cultural network, doing time in most any conceivable cultural corner. If anyone feels a corner is missing, please fill it out yourself. Maximalism now. Check out our website http://www.kunst.no/origami for a bewildering glance. Also the band's website is there, http://www.kunst.no/origami/arktika.

Chris Dahlberg
January 03, 2008