Rebekka Karijord returns with new album Mother Tongue, unveils beautifully unsettling "Waimanalo"

Mother Tongue was written - partially - following the traumatic arrival, three months early, of her first baby and there's certainly a darkness - however beautiful Karijord makes it sound - on the first track "Waimanalo".

While this new track has some of the hallmarks of 2012's We Become Ourselves, Karijord has added some electronic flourishes to the more organic sounds. So alongside the plucked strings, echoing clatter of prepared piano and Karihord's incredible tremble of a voice there's a gently intense synth buzz adding an air of foreboding to "Waimanalo", named for a place in Hawaii where the singer spent some of the months of her pregnancy, writing what would become Mother Tongue.

Of the events which informed some of the album, Karijord explains “I never know what my records are about until they´re almost done. It´s like a subconscious collecting process, shooting arrows into the dark and then getting out there to see where they have landed. This time, however, it was a bit different..."

The album was recorded in Hawaii, Stockholm & Oslo during 2015 and 2016, and produced, arranged and edited by Karijord with help from Elias Krantz as technician, co-producer and mixer. Contributors include Mariam Wallentin (Wildbirds & Peacedrums), cellist (and Jennie Abrahamson collaborator) Linnea Olsson and regular contributor Anders Scherp (drums & tuned percussion).

Karijord will be in London performing two shows live at Dance Umbrella Festival on 19 and 20 October. The performances feature 4 dancers from 65-80 years old and are based on the song “Use My Body While It´s Still Young” from the We Become Ourselves album.

Mother Tongue will be out 27 January via Control Freak Kitten. The album artwork is below.