Today we are interviewing Andreas Axelsson, the mind behind Fornsken.
SOM: Hello Andreas thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions. Please introduce Fornsken, Who are you, where do you come from and since when does Fornsken exist ?
Hello! My name is Andreas Axelsson, 26 years old and I’m from Sweden, located in a small town called Munkfors.
I’ve been musically interested for as long as I can remember, but I was never able to get my hands on any instrument whatsoever untill the age of 16-17.
I’ve been playing this kind of music since 2016 something, when I started up my first project Ursprung.
Fornsken came to life in January, 2021. Fornsken means “Ancient Shimmers” or “Ancient Lights”
SOM: How would you describe Fornsken’s style, how does it differ from your project “Ursprung”? Do you have strict rules, which elements from which genre are allowed in which project ?
I would describe Fornskens style as dark nordic folk. It differs from Ursprung in the way that I already had a plan as for what Fornsken
would be. Fornsken doesnt have a ambient/experimental past like Ursprung does. Although I am perfectly happy with Ursprungs ambient past.
I look at it as a seed, thats grown into what I am doing with Fornsken.
I suppose I have strict rules for Fornsken, I the sense that I am only using old instruments and write mainly melodies and songs that can be
performed live as one man songs if I get to that. I plan to keep Fornsken free from entire albums of collaborations. And I am more interested in
writing actual songs, rather than dramatic compositions. But we’ll see, creativity for me is everchanging.
SOM: Tell us about your vision on creating the 3 great albums: Galder Jag Kväda Kan, Vet Du Hur Du Rista Skall & Runor Skall Du Finna
Ever since the first song I ever wrote with Ursprung, “Thurisaz”, I have wanted to do a trilogy of the elder futhark runes. Which was early 2016 something.
I began doing so with Ursprung but I ended up doing it on Fornsken for various reasons I won’t go into, more than that I really wanted to be doing vocals on the entire thing myself.
The titles on each album are Swedish parts of the Havamal, Runor Skall Du Finna – Runes You Shall Find, is about discovering the runes.
The seconds album, “Vet Du Hur Du Rista Skall – Do You Know How To Carve?” simply means that you learn how to carve them/use them.
And by the third album, Galder Jag Kväda Kan – Galdr I can sing/Incantations I can sing. You’ve learned to do magic with the runes.
In the song Runor Skall Du Finna, I wanted to give the impression of MAGIC, like you’ve just discovered something VERY sacred, hence the no words and big
echoing bukkehorn with a “magic” ambient drone going behind it.
In “Do you know how to carve?” you can hear a rock being carved with runes towards the end. And Galder Jag Kväda Kan, the song itself is the symbolization
of the title and idea behind it.
SOM: I have seen that you have done collaborations with your other project, any plans for collaborations for Fornsken ?
Yes, I recently did a intro bukkehorn for Lubo Skald on his latest release Bifröst. The song was named Gjallarhorn.
I’m up for collaborations with Fornsken, probably not as intensive as I did with Ursprung.
I’m planning on doing a song with a good friend and former bandmate of mine, Morgan Ek. We’re both fishermen and figured it would be fun to
write a song about the God of the sea, Njördr, a god fishermen often prayed to. More to come of that…
also, I’m having a song in progress with the awesome people behind Bjorth too. 😉
SOM: What are your plans for Fornsken in the next few years?
I’m hoping to hold small, intimate concerts with either one man stripped down versions of some songs whenever I feel it would be appropriate.
But first I have to build up some songs, and finish all the visions I have musically. Not to reveal too much but I plan on making some music video
once I am done with my latest ideas.
SOM: Is there a musical crossover you would like to do / or have thought about but not yet done ?
In a different genre? If so, yeah I’ve been fond of the idea about mixing a raw black metal sound with the instruments used in Fornsken.
But thats for another day and time, I am already too limited with time as it is. And I want to finish what I’m aiming for, before I do anything else.
SOM: What are your TOP 3 favorite instruments or effects (incl. virtual instruments)? and why ?
The tagelharpa/nyckelharpa, the lyre and my bukkehorn. First of all its the tagelharpa. I could play that instrument all day, every day for the rest of my life.
SOM: Which bands – today- influence your music the most ?
Grift, a swedish black metal band. I absolutely love it. And more or less all the dark nordic folk projects people run. I am amazed at how much it has grown and
how creative people are with their projects.
SOM: Besides creating music is their anything else you enjoy doing ?
I enjoy fishing, skateboarding. Over all I value my life with my two cats and girlfriend Linnea over everything else.
SOM: This is the opportunity to share something with the world:
Excuses will only do good if you’re waiting around to die!
Thank you for the continued support throughout the years, it means the world to me.
Check out Fornsken: Bandcamp, Instagram and Facebook
And of course Spotify: