What is the likelihood that hymns from the time of Pietism would resonate with progressive free musicians in Austin, Texas? Particularly when they are sung...

What is the likelihood that hymns from the time of Pietism would resonate with progressive free musicians in Austin, Texas? Particularly when they are sung in a language that feels distant, even to Norwegians. On this album the miraculous happens, in that old texts communicate across centuries and language borders. The conversation makes room for new depths in text and tone. Pietism strongly promotes a life in faith and humble service. In Pietism, the letter of the teachings is less important than a personal and sincere faith in practical life. There is a powerful longing for heaven. The feeling of falling short as a human being, living in difficult circumstances with sickness, exhausting work, and poverty, resonated with the words of the hymns. Despite the distance and many differences between the two traditions, this sense of life can be likened to the situations of those who wrote spirituals and blues on the other side of the great ocean. A dialogue plays out between Gunvor Fagerhaug’s singing and Andreas Bjørkås’s fiddle playing on the one side – and Ingebrigt Håker Flaten’s bass and the impressive lineup of Austin-based musicians from both hip-hop, free jazz, and electronica on the other. The result reflects Ingebrigt’s vision of the music as groundbreaking and life-giving across traditional borders.