Mirra is an old, forgotten dialect word from Hardanger in Norway, describing when reindeer run together in a circling pattern—both to keep warm and to ward off predators.
Benedicte Maurseth has only seen wild reindeer twice in her life but they are a constant presence in the area where she lives and she recognises their importance for symbolic and ecological reasons. She says: “They are remarkable, beautiful creatures—but also threatened. Mainly by humans, who slowly but surely reduce their space, year by year.” This album is a tribute to this beauty and fragility.
As with her previous album Hárr (2022), the sound Maurseth creates blends her evocative Hardanger fiddle playing with concrete sounds from nature.
The work uses elements of the reindeer's distinctive sounds and is inspired by their annual cycle. This is evidenced by some of the song titles : Kalven reiser seg (The Calf Rises), Sommarbeite (Summer Grazing) and Jaktmarsj (Hunting March).
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Morten Qvenild, who recorded the album at Ugla Lyd Studio in Nesodden, adds keyboards and electronic processing. Other musicians are Håkon Stene on melodic percussion, Mats Eilertsen on bass and electronics.
The eleven instrumental arrangements have a lyrical, free-flowing quality that merge folk music with contemporary classical. Musical sources also derive from American minimalism, krautrock, and free improvised music.
In both concept and sound this a beautiful transportive cycle of music.
Benedicte Maurseth’s website
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