There is something fascinating about music that refuses to sit neatly inside one category. Himmelskygge, the new album from Norwegian mezzo-soprano Hege Høisæter, is exactly that kind of project — a meeting point between classical tradition, contemporary composition, electronic textures, and unexpected moments of improvisation.

Released through LAWO Classics, the album brings together an impressive group of musicians including pianist Jorunn Marie Bratlie, composer and electronic artist Kari Telstad Sundet, and jazz ensemble Tov a Vot, featuring Vetle Nærø (piano/keys), Theis Jakob (bass), and Ola Grindbakken (drums).

Rather than simply looking back at Norway’s rich musical heritage, Himmelskygge feels like a conversation between past and present. The album explores how contemporary song continues to evolve, connecting established composers with newer voices and creating a space where different musical worlds can meet.

One of the centrepieces of the release is Kari Telstad Sundet’s song cycle The Drift, featuring texts by the renowned American poet Emily Dickinson. The work stands out for its delicate balance between acoustic and electronic elements, creating an atmosphere that feels intimate, experimental, and deeply expressive. Sundet’s role as both composer and performer gives the piece a unique character, where every sound feels carefully connected.

The album also highlights the diversity of Norwegian composition across generations. Olav Anton Thommessen’s Cosima minnes brings dramatic intensity through its connection to Wagnerian material, while Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen’s works offer a more lyrical and traditional approach to Norwegian art song.

Adding a different perspective, Tov a Vot contribute their own voice to the album with Two Dystopian Songs, a work they composed for the release. The pieces introduce a more modern and genre-crossing approach, blending contemporary ideas with the group’s jazz-influenced background.

At its heart, Himmelskygge is about collaboration. It brings together musicians with different backgrounds and allows those differences to become part of the music itself. The result is an album that feels both rooted and forward-looking — connected to Norwegian tradition while exploring where contemporary song can go next.

With Himmelskygge, Hege Høisæter offers more than a collection of performances. It is a portrait of a living musical landscape, one where classical voices, new technology, and creative experimentation can exist side by side.

There is something fascinating about music that refuses to sit neatly inside one category. Himmelskygge, the new album from Norwegian mezzo-soprano Hege Høisæter, is exactly that kind of project — a meeting point between classical tradition, contemporary composition, electronic textures, and unexpected moments of improvisation.

Released through LAWO Classics, the album brings together an impressive group of musicians including pianist Jorunn Marie Bratlie, composer and electronic artist Kari Telstad Sundet, and jazz ensemble Tov a Vot, featuring Vetle Nærø (piano/keys), Theis Jakob (bass), and Ola Grindbakken (drums).

Rather than simply looking back at Norway’s rich musical heritage, Himmelskygge feels like a conversation between past and present. The album explores how contemporary song continues to evolve, connecting established composers with newer voices and creating a space where different musical worlds can meet.

One of the centrepieces of the release is Kari Telstad Sundet’s song cycle The Drift, featuring texts by the renowned American poet Emily Dickinson. The work stands out for its delicate balance between acoustic and electronic elements, creating an atmosphere that feels intimate, experimental, and deeply expressive. Sundet’s role as both composer and performer gives the piece a unique character, where every sound feels carefully connected.

The album also highlights the diversity of Norwegian composition across generations. Olav Anton Thommessen’s Cosima minnes brings dramatic intensity through its connection to Wagnerian material, while Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen’s works offer a more lyrical and traditional approach to Norwegian art song.

Adding a different perspective, Tov a Vot contribute their own voice to the album with Two Dystopian Songs, a work they composed for the release. The pieces introduce a more modern and genre-crossing approach, blending contemporary ideas with the group’s jazz-influenced background.

At its heart, Himmelskygge is about collaboration. It brings together musicians with different backgrounds and allows those differences to become part of the music itself. The result is an album that feels both rooted and forward-looking — connected to Norwegian tradition while exploring where contemporary song can go next.

With Himmelskygge, Hege Høisæter offers more than a collection of performances. It is a portrait of a living musical landscape, one where classical voices, new technology, and creative experimentation can exist side by side.