UUMMAT Revisited: SORSUNNEQ
Inner conflicts and salty caramels....
Just about one year has passed since I returned from Greenland. Outside, the fjord has just been frozen, and Uummat has just been released on digital services. It’s as great a time as any to dig into the different songs and revisit them, now that it is easy for all to listen - in the UUMMAT REVISITED series, I will tell you about each of the songs on the album.
SORSUNNEQ means war….. not a term that we affiliate with Greenland, however, it describes some of the things I want to convey on this album.
Greenland is full of contrast, and even though the Inuit people are some of the friendliest I’ve ever met, there is also an inner conflict happening behind the curtains. The orphanages exist for a reason and the suicide rate is awfully high…. Actually, it’s the highest in the world.
Newer documentaries (e.g. FIGHT FOR GREENLAND) offers a unique insight into the heated debate about independence, language and identity that rages in modern-day Greenland, and I think it’s important that the world turn its eyes towards them as well. ESPECIALLY us Danes as we claim Greenland to be a part of our kingdom.
I wanted to portray these thoughts in SORSUNNEQ. I imagined the seconds before a battle…..with sleigh dogs in the background…. And tried to sonify that picture with the use of piano, strings, mallet drums and synthesizers….
The caramel part
In general, I see the whole Synthesizer approach on the album as a flavour that makes the rest of the bandstand out with a unique character…. I´m not a keyboardist, so the synthesizers in themselves are not that beautiful, but when mixed in with the whole, it makes sense.
Another way of putting it might be: Caramel chocolate is really nice…. Its sugary and most people would agree that it’s yummy…..
Seasalt in itself may not be that tasty…. Actually its not that pleasant to eat raw. HOWEVER….. when those 2 things are combined….. then we have the perfect snack…. Chocolate-caramel with sea salt….. Voila!
That’s how I feel about the use of synthesizers on this album……
There are sorrow and sadness to the melody in this tune, but just like the strong Inuit people have prevailed, the music should also turn towards more light and a sense of overcoming. That leads me to the B-part which in my mind sounds like a fanfare…. But I needed it to be twisted…. Its a long string of mixed meters, which gives it a bumpy feel in the midst of all the joy.
I felt a challenge in the orchestration - the act of using the broad nuances of such a large ensemble. It becomes a balance between power and complexity. In the end, I stuck with the more mighty and brutal sound.
The powerful and simple approach really paid off with the band. We had already played through many of the more complex orchestrations, so somehow the vibe had already taken root in the players. They also handled all the rhythm changes so well.
There isn’t that much solo improvisation on the record, and honestly, I really like the idea that the ensemble moves together as one big monster. But on this tune, I wanted to include a bass solo, as the whole aspect of an inner war seems to be something that can tilt in many directions….. just like an improvisation.
If you want to hear the piece go check it out at your streaming services or visit Bandcamp for a vinyl/cd purchase.