Interview Adjagas

Abbiamo già avuto modo di parlare del loro disco (clicca qui per leggere la recensione del loro debutto per la giovane etichetta Ever) corredando delle circostanze che ha portato il giovane duo di musicisti yoik al loro primo disco con una qualche visibilità sul pianeta. Incuriositi e affascinati dalle varie particolarità della tradizione Saami che sono riusciti a portare fino alle nostre orecchie, abbiamo fatto una chiacchierata con gli Adjagas, nella speranza di vederli presto a riscaldare le platee italiane o di ammirare gli spettacoli naturalistici che fanno della terra di Saami (o se preferite, chiamatela Lapponia) uno degli angoli piu' magici della Terra, avendone gia' saggiato il tepore trasmesso dalla loro musica. Rinnovandovi l'invito all'ascolto già inoltrato in occasione della presentazione del loro disco, vi auguriamo di assistere all'aurore boreale almeno una volta nella vostra vita. Buona lettura!

Hi guys. How are you? Doing very well here.

Your last work is maybe the strangest thing I've heard in the last days. Even if I don't understand Saami, you are able to produce images and sensations of your civilization. Well, could you introduce your album to our readers? This album is a joikalbum made for this time. Our ancient tradition was dying out a couple of years ago. We are putting more wood on the fire. The fire that is a part of European culture that is not known to all people. We hope we can warm some souls with our fire and our music.

What about its birth? It was conceived during 6 intense days in a old cabin up in the mountains. Many of the joiks have very personal meaning to us, and are something we have lived through, both before and after the recording.

Any resistance from publishers for the decision to include Saami songs?No, never.

Could you tell us a myth or a story related to music from Saami tradition?It is said that the ulda people thought us how to yoik. Ulda is a people living in another dimension. One day a sami man was sleeping in his lavvu-tent. He woke up only halfway by a beautiful sound. Still in the dreamworld he listened bevildered to this strange music. It was like there was somebody sitting on the stone outside the lavvu-tent singing. As he woke more and more the voice faded away. He quickly went outside to look for the singing person but there was nobody there. But the yoik stayed with the man.

What about your collaboration? Where did you meet and why did you decide to create Adjagas?We are both traditional singers. So we have met at festivals and concerts for some time now. We were told by our friends that our voices sound nice together. I think we have different reasons to do this but we wanted to make new yoiks for our time, because the metaphors have changed by a thousand years in just 50. Major lifestyle changes going on but the way of thinking and attitude to life stays with the old. We just needed to change the metaphors so more people can relate.

Why have you called your project "Adjagas"?It is the name of the state of mind between sleeping and waking that the man in the lavvu-tent was in.

We have read something about your exhibition at Glastonbury. According to someone Odin and the whole Walhalla decided that spreading your music to a sinful crowd of unbelievers could have been inadequate! :)hehe :)

The most beautiful aurora borealis you remember? Have seen many times, but once I swear it made a noise, like a sweet buzz crackling. It was in the tundra I remember it was very cold and COMPLETELY quiet, awesome!

A propos of it, give us a piece of advise about the best period for having a glaze to this astonishing natural phenomenon...Now would be a good time

For people leaving nearby Mediterranean Sea, your culture is quite mysterious. Tell us something about the best way to "breathe" your culture, your traditions and your music. Any similarities between Saami and Celtic tradition?We are all people and some experiences are that of human life and the same whether you are Sami, Celtic or Italian. But we all have our own different viewpoint in this world where our experience starts. Our viewpoint is from the north. I'd like to think that in our music we have a little of the essence from where our lives have been lived. The paths of expression are learned from our bloodline. Yoiks is how we perceive and express the one World that we all share. You should take a trip up north to see it with your own eyes, maybe you come home with yoiks in your hearts.

Is there any Saami music school?No, we learn from the elders in the family

What about listener's reaction to your music?For somebody it strikes a chord in them because they have experienced similar feelings that are in the yoiks. It is really just music from one heart to another, so the reactions are thereby also.

Are you going to perform in Italy?Yes, but no dates have been set yet. See you soon!