Fjarill: Strålande Juletid

With “Strålande Juletid”, the Hamburg-based duo Fjarill is releasing their eleventh album and dedicates themselves to the magic and silence of winter time for the second time after their acclaimed album “Stilla Tyd” from 2016. Aino Löwenmark and Hanmari Spiegel take you on a journey through the Nordic Christmas landscape. An invitation that seems like a quiet promise in the midst of the hectic Advent season: There is room for peace, light and confidence here. Fjarill's music is characterized by a natural clarity that has its roots in the far north. Aino Löwenmark, who grew up in Dalarna, brings the Swedish Christmas tradition to life with her voice and on the piano. Songs like “Jul Julstrålande jul” or “Nu tändas tusen juleljus” are part of the heartbeat of the dark season in her home country; songs that bring light into darkness, give hope and create community. The pieces sound soft and simple, sometimes with fine, new colors: Hanmari Spiegel, born in South Africa, expands the Nordic sound with violin, piano and a global musicality that gives the songs a contemplative, almost world-spanning character. The specially written song lyrics, such as the piece “Peace,” are about pausing, remembering the light, about a space in which thoughts come to rest and hope can be heard. Fjarill don't make loud music — it glows, still, softly and honestly. Anyone who experiences Fjarill live feels the special atmosphere that exists between the two musicians: Hanmari Spiegel and Aino Löwenmark — two strong personalities, two fascinating life stories, united in Hamburg and connected by music that builds bridges, between continents, between folk, pop, classical and jazz. Her concerts are emotional experiences, characterized by subtle nuances, happiness and inspiration. When Fjarill sing in Swedish, Afrikaans, Zulu or German, the boundaries blur: between concert hall and living room, between Elbphilharmonie and Swedish taiga, between inner world and horizon. “Strålande Juletid” is an invitation to experience the holidays with open ears and hearts, with songs that glow.