Draugurinn Interview
A face unwilling to be seen and a voice that speaks of shadows.
Draugurinn operates in between life and death and you are hereby invited to meet the
ambassador in person to learn more about the origin and findings of this
musical solo-project.
Interview by Hinsides Magazine 2023
Photo by Rune Foss
Hello and welcome to Hinsides Magazine! Please introduce yourself to our curious readers and feel free to continue with a description of where you are right now.
- Hello Emil and Hinsides Magazine!
The history of Draugurinn began many years ago, partly as a complement to the black metal/folk metal projects I was involved with. But mostly as a very personal way of expressing myself and as a result of rituals of mine. I had a vision of something more than just music. Something limitless that gave me more than just the creative process in writing songs. I’m still not sure what genre Draugurinn belongs to; dark ambient, ritual ambient, drone, occult dark ambient, folk music, avantgarde? Maybe it’s up to the listener to decide?
For my first release, Dauðadá (written in 2008) I used electronic instruments, piano, distorted guitars and distorted voice etc when I wrote it. The following releases - Myrkraverk, Móðuharðindin, Ísavetur, Spíra and Minningar Úr Undirheimum as well as the unique and unreleased material written for live rituals, are a bit more organic and perhaps minimalistic. What combines them all is probably the use of natural elements in some way (like sounds of nature such as wind, water, birds, ice melting and so on) and hopefully they all take the listener on an aural journey. I never aim to sound any certain way, I just create and what comes out comes out.
I haven’t written or recorded any music in a while, but hopefully there will be some new creations soon. Right now I focus on painting and tattooing (hand poke tattoos).
Draugurinn translates to something like ”The Ghost” in Icelandic. Why does this name suit your work? Can you recall the circumstances under which the name came to you?
- That’s correct. The name summons the core of my rituals, music and life over all in many ways. The twilight between life and death can teach us a lot about what is and what once was. The shadows from the past lives on in us and are present through us. The name came to me back in 2008 when I had to put a name on my recordings and got signed by a record label.
I have lived alongside death for many years, that’s one of the main reasons for the name. But maybe also the perplexity in that I like to be heard, reach out to people with my creations, but still don’t want to be seen?
What you do under this banner may certainly sound foreign and difficult to understand to someone without experience of similar expressions. How would you describe your sound and purpose to someone unaware of what Draugurinn is all about?
- Definitely! Draugurinn is not something that appeals to everyone and most people probably won’t ever understand my creations. For those who are not into any kind of alternative expressions (like my colleagues at work…) I describe my music as (ritual) soundscapes. Usually I don’t have to say more than that. Most people who are not interested in this kind of expression don’t need a further introduction.
Tell us a bit about how your upbringing as both Icelandic and Swedish has influenced you? Do you think there are any major cultural differences between Sweden and Iceland and do you feel equally at home in both countries?
- I’m born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, but my mother comes from Iceland and I have spent a lot of time there with my relatives and friends. Both my parents have been very open minded and supportive in every way, but in general I think Icelanders are more liberal in some way. Icelanders support each other, no matter what, work hard and always push forward. Family is important, art, literature, music and creativity is highly appreciated. Swedes are more narrow minded and just mind their own business… and maybe a bit more lazy, in my opinion.
Iceland is a small country, everyone knows each other in some way. I appreciate the anonymity we have here in Sweden. I love going to Iceland and always get inspired by the nature and culture, my creative family etc, but I would miss the forests and mountains here in Sweden if I moved there. My grandfather on my father’s side comes from the north of Sweden and I think I have found just as much inspiration from him as from my Icelandic side of the family. I belong in the forest and the mountains of the north.
Let’s talk about inspiration! What would you say are your most obvious sources of inspiration and what makes these phenomena inspiring to you?
- I get inspired by so many things. Nature is a recurrent source of inspiration though, just like life and death and the natural cycles surrounding us. Our ancestors, history, rituals, art, traveling, books, animals… running for hours and hours in the forest. I can find inspiration in many places and ways.
Lately all my creations for Draugurinn have been written for certain live occasions, so I have found inspiration in whatever that occasion has been. My latest creation, Minningar Úr Undirheimum, was originally written for a live ritual organized by Erik of Grift during the vernal equinox, for instance. In that case both the vernal equinox as well as the location of the concert inspired me. The ritual I performed at Midgårdsblot in Norway 2018 was inspired by the ocean, water and rituals linked to the waves and the Borre area. Móðuharðindin I wrote when I had run the Laugavegurinn Ultramarathon 2011, through the rough and beautiful landscape scarred by the great volcanoes, fire, water and storms in the area. Each album and each live performance has their own history and source of inspiration.
What kind of musical role models do you have? Are there any you can name as particularly important when it comes to finding your own expression?
- I grew up with all kinds of music. My father collected vinyls, cassettes and later on CD’s and our home was always full of melodies of all sorts. He thought me to appreciate different nuances in various genres and I think that has inspired me a lot. But I actually don’t have any particular other bands or projects that influences me more than others while creating. Draugurinn has always just been Draugurinn and I find inspiration in my own rituals and spiritual work, nature, history, our roots etc as mentioned earlier, rather than music performed by others. But of course I appreciate listening to a lot of ”ritual” and ”ceremonial” bands from all over the world and probably find inspiration and senses that inspire me somehow from some of them. At the moment I mostly listen to dark ambient at Cryo Chamber. I like music that makes you feel, that puts you in a certain mood.
Describing live performances as rituals is quite common these days but in your case this description seems more serious than being just a gimmick. In what way does this description fits your performances and what do you want to communicate to your audience?
Draugurinn has always been something more than ”just a band” for me. Sharing my creations hasn’t always been natural to me and I really hesitated before I entered the stage for the first time 2012. But that experience and what followed gave me so much and I think it’s easier too understand what I do if you experience my live rituals. It’s like the music gets complete. I don’t like being the centre of attention and I have never appreciated being on stage, but these rituals are something different. It’s not about me.
Each and every live ritual is unique, all of them communicate different things and maybe serve different purposes for whoever receives them?
Please walk us through the mental process that performing on stage requires of you. How do you prepare and what state of mind are you usually in afterwards?
- The mental process before entering the stage is very focused and calm. I want to be by myself in silence. I would love to say that I run or meditate for hours, but usually that’s not possible, due to the location, soundcheck, no backstage area available or other circumstances. I just have to adjust for each and every situation. Afterwards I’m usually very exhausted but euphoric! It’s a strange combination.
How would you describe your stage persona? Is it very different from your everyday self? Is it your true self that emerges when you get into music or do you become someone else? (Or even something else?)
On stage I really expose myself, I get extremely vulnerable and put myself in a quite uncomfortable situation. That’s nothing I would do in my everyday life. I’m a typical Swede who is humble, don’t want to be seen or get attention. With that said, Draugurinn and my stage persona still is very much me and the music definitely awakes something deeper inside.
Speaking of rituals, it would be interesting to know if you perform any rituals without an audience and, if so, what purpose do they serve?
- I often do. Everyday I would say. And they serve different purposes. A long distance run in the forest is the most common ritual of mine. Tattooing is another. Most rituals and their intentions I keep to myself though.
How do you relate to the concepts of spirituality and spiritualism? Do you distinguish these from magic or the occult and has your attitude towards these concepts changed over time? Are there any esoteric teachings that you follow or feel drawn to in some way?
- I have always been interested in spiritualism, magic and occultism. But my attitude towards these concepts has definitely changed over time. As a young teenager I was all into different occult and dark esoteric doctrines and was like all teenagers seeking some kind of path to walk. I started reading a lot and have kept on reading ever since. And the more you read, the more questions you get and answers you seek. I have never found one particular ”truth” though and I don’t think there is ”the one way”. We all need to find our own path, even if it’s difficult and takes time. It’s scary how easy it is to just follow one book or one doctrine and let someone else’s mind control yours…
Where I feel the most ”home” is among the shamanistic teachings, if I have to say something though. Of course they differ all over the world, but still have some sort of common thread that appeals to me. I have studied a lot of circumpolar shamanistic cultures.
Your recordings sound both powerful and analog despite some electronic technology being used in the studio. What does the recording process look like and what instruments/technical equipment do you use? Have you used the same method on all recordings or has your way of working developed in any way over the years?
- It all starts with a concept or a source of inspiration found in experiences of mine or things going on in my life. Then I always write and simply record everything at home in an old version of GarageBand in my (very) old Mac in just a couple of days. It’s a very intense process. I’m sure I could do much more with new, better technique, but I like working with what simple means I have and even if my microphone might not be the best or the sound card is not the newest on the market, it’s enough for me. Maybe that’s what creates the analogue and quite raw Draugurinn sound? Soon I’ll have to level up though. Right now I’m just glad that my studio computer actually wakes up every time I put it on…
I record sounds of nature with my phone when I’m out. Then my voice and shaman drums are used on every album as some kind of ground ambience or soundscape. In my latest release the bullroarer played a significant role, as well as a rattle, stones, my wand, bells and also my guitar. I love creating ambience with an ebow on my guitar or bass. My first release was much more electronic. I used piano and keyboard as well as distorted guitars and bass. The following releases have been much more minimalistic and organic and I’m quite sure I’ll keep it that way in the future as well.
What parts of your work with Draugurinn do you enjoy the most, and which are the least fun to deal with?
- Draugurinn is so personal. It’s very evocative in many ways. It makes me grow and develop. Draugurinn isn’t just music; it’s art, photography, the live rituals, I put a lot of work into the physical releases etc. It has always been something more than ”just a band” for me personally and I hope it will grow and develop even more in the future.
The part I’m struggling with is definitely the social part. It’s a huge paradox that I hate being the center of attention, but still enter a stage with hundreds of people in front of me and really expose myself with something extremely personal that people might not understand at all. That’s one of the reasons I don’t perform a lot live and definitely choose my events. And I’m not much for interviews or talking about myself. Maybe because I’m so exposed in the music itself? It’s so naked that it’s hard to put into words.
Looking back at what you have accomplished with Draugurinn so far, is there anything that you are particularly proud of or happy to have experienced through this project?
- Well, first of all it’s that I have kept on creating and developing throughout the years and that the core of Draugurinn is still evolving. And I’m glad that I actually entered the stage at Arosian Black Mass 2012 with my first live ritual. Each and every live ritual has pushed my vision with Draugurinn forward to what it is now. I’m also very proud to be a part of Nordvis, in the company of so many talented musicians.
How do you imagine the future through the Draugurin’s eyes? Are there any clear goals or limitations that can be discerned on the horizon?
- I’m quite sure Draugurinn is a lifelong project. I can’t see any limits right now. I have some artistic visions I hope I can implement soon, both when it comes to the pure ritual part of Draugurinn and musically.
..and to those of you who managed to read this far; Congratulations! You are hereby officially qualified as a reader of Hinsides Magazine; A completely unbound fanzine devoted to Art, Music and Literature. The magazine is published once a year since 2020 and previous issues can be ordered right here: