A Scandinavian neo-folk musical duo, Skalti has its roots in the culture and mythology of the 8th and 9th centuries, skilfully mixing the sounds of nature and traditional instruments. Our musical approach is in line with shamanism, stories and legends…
First, I will let you tell us about ”Skalti” ?
Hi everyone ! First of all, it’s an honor for us to do this interview. Skalti includes two members, Barrek and Mona, both come from north of France. We’re living in a peacefuly place where you can find luxuriants forests, huge meadows, everything you need to be inspire and to reconnect with the earth. Those landscapes are really important for us and it’s really revelant in our music. We like to incorporate sounds of nature in our composition, creating in this way a unique atmosphere, which can remain the serenity of our place.
How long have you been producing music?
We both play differents instruments since our childhood: drums, guitar, flute, ukulele, tagelharpa, lyre and so on. Barrek also plays the bombarde and the dulcimer. We make music for a long time but Skalti is our first big project.
And how did it start for you with producing music?
In 2020, Skalti came to life and it was really challenging because we didn’t have any skill at that time for music production and editing. It took a lot of time, and we are currently learning things about it.
Have you produced music before you started on the Viking related music?
We both had smalls projects in the past in a total different genre of music like metal and blues.
What does your name Skalti means?
The name “Skalti” comes from Norse mythology, where Sköll and Hati have facinating roles. Sköll the lonely wolf, and Hati the lunar wolf have to chase the sun and the moon for eternity. The sun and the moon represent the passing of time, and the wolves chasing them symbolize the constant pursuit of progress and the never-ending cycle of life and death.
By choosing Skalti as our band name, there’s a willingness to catch the deepness of this legend. Our music is like an artistic and infinity quest, “Skalti” explores over and over the soundscapes to capture the ephemeral magic of life. This name evokes the passion and inspiration driving our music, an ode to the ephemeral and the infinite.
Dou you work with other musicians like in a collab.?
Yes, absolutely! It’s always an honor to work with other musicians, creating moments of exchange, sharing the same hobbies.
Would you share with whom?
We had the opportunity to work with Vingnir, Nattramn and Kveld.
Would you do collabs?
Yes, of course! If other opportunities come our way, it would be a pleasure to collaborate with other artists.
Any new music coming up now or releases?
We keep working on some songs for our next album and we would like to release a clip in a while, also, a few collaborations are in progress.
Do you make other kind of music than what we know you for?
Barrek is the percussionist of “Capitaine MotherFolker & the Drunken Sailors”, a french group playing some Irish folk and pirate music. Mona doesn’t have another band but she plays by herself some blues and rock music.
Do you see yourself making music like techno, Metal, Jazz or Classic?
Yes, probably some metal because it’s a genre we both love.
Do you have a favorite track yourself or maybe a band?
Barrek enjoys a lot Gealdyr’s songs especially “Grimnir”, he also really likes Forndom. Mona’s fav bands are Osi and the jupiter, Amenra, and Chelsea Wolfe. It’s really difficult to mention only one band.
Do you believe in the old ways yourself?
We both have different beliefs, but our practices are very similar. In creating and playing our music, there’s a desire to praise the Nordic beliefs that sometimes guide our lives.
Where do you find your inspiration for music?
Our music is largely inspired by Norse mythology and old written works, but also by nature.
Any breaks from producing music?
Yes it happens a lot during the composition of our songs. It’s important to take a step back from your work. It gives us a fresh look at what we’re doing, and sometimes leads to new ideas.
Can it be hard to find time for the music and the balance between music/family life and other things in life? (many feel they have to little time to make music)
Yes, it’s not always easy to find time for music, but it’s important to keep in mind that it’s first and foremost a passion, and that it’s necessary to keep this balance. It’s easier when your loved one and friends share the same passions.
If you could live of your music, would you do that?
Yes it would be a dream! But we also know that it’s not so easy
Many follows you on social media, and I know you are on these platforms, it must take a lot of time to upload all the time, do you think that the music industry has change much in the period you have made music?
We use DISTROKID which takes care of all the uploads. It’s important for us to keep a certain rhythm of publication on facebook and instagram, we’re always looking for new content for our subscribers and sharing with them the progress of our work, and that also takes time.
I think the music industry has changed a lot, but unfortunately in France the most popular musical styles are very different from what we produce. Keep in mind that you work for yourself and not for the music industry.
What is working best for you? (Is it Spotify, YT or others)
Youtube and Spotify work best for us.
We would like to thank you for answering our questions about your music, and glad we could do this interview and I am sure many are happy to get to know you better….
Thank you for this interview, it was a pleasure! It’s very kind of you to share our work and take the time for this exchange. It’s very encouraging for the evolution of our work, and we hope that our music will reach new ears.
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