Best Ethnomusicology Podcasts (2025)

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Album Review: Noiduin, "Lovi" 9:01

3d ago9:01

9:01

Send us a text Rooted in ancient Finnish lore, Noiduin emerges with their first full-length album Lovi, an homage to an otherworldly state or space, a rift between worlds, and a place of crossing where the veil between the living and the dead thins. With a sound palette dominated by tagelharpa, percussion, kantele, and raw ethereal voices, Lovi bri…

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#51 - Hedningarna with Anders Norudde 57:15

6d ago57:15

57:15

Send us a text Anders Norudde is one of the minds behind the legendary Hedningarna - a band whose influence is still felt throughout the world of Nordic folk music today. With their reputation for bringing a more raw, primal, and percussive energy to traditional folk music, Hedningarna was one of a handful of bands out of Sweden in the 90s who push…

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Album Review: MÍO, "Hva Nå?" 12:37

12d ago12:37

12:37

Send us a text As you all know, MÍO's debut record Ingen Tid å Miste earned the top spot on my 2023 Nordic Sound Top 10 list. All these years later, I still stand by what I’ve said before: not only does MÍO weave a musical experience like no other, but their electrifying live performances put them in a league of their own. But Ingen Tid å Miste had…

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#50 - Pain and Performance Art with Ingrid Auné Falch 1:09:40

13d ago1:09:40

1:09:40

Send us a text Ingrid returns to the Nordic Sound for the 50th episode to talk about her recent performance project "Echoes" with Maria Franz and her solo project "Piina" - a multi-movement work seeking to explore the theme of pain through music. With no responsible adult in the room to keep us on track, we meander quite a bit through conversations…

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Dean Thiessen: Composer, Piano, Stranger Friends Orchestra 1:08:27

18d ago1:08:27

1:08:27

Dean Thiessen talks about his Stranger Friends Orchestra (I'm a band member) and their upcoming performance at the Fox Cabaret on May 31 presented by Infidels Jazz. The large ensemble will celebrate the release of a live EP that weekend on the Infidels Jazz label. Dean is a pianist and composer from Alberta who has been active in Vancouver as a wor…

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#49 - The Art of Black Metal with Thomas Eriksen (Mork, Udåd) 1:39:55

20d ago1:39:55

1:39:55

Send us a text The Black Metal perspective makes a long overdue debut to the Nordic Sound in episode 49 with the inimitable Thomas Eriksen (Mork, Udåd). Not only has Thomas made quite the name for himself as the mind behind Mork, but kept himself and others entertained during COVID running his own Black Metal podcast, the "Thomas Eriksen Podcast" w…

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Biboye Onanuga: "It's happening here, it's cool." 1:19:16

2M ago1:19:16

1:19:16

Biboye Onanuga talks about his latest of what is now several trips to Vancouver from Edmonton, and the different flavours inspiring him as he goes about his creative life today, from the literally food-based to the musical. He played two Infidels Jazz shows this weekend: one at the VIFF Centre playing the music of Thelonious Monk, and the other at …

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#48 - Olav Luksengård Mjelva 1:06:43

2M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

Send us a text Over the course of his career, Olav Mjelva has become something of a face of the Hardanger Fiddle, with his fiddle being heard in settings such as Rings of Power, God of War: Ragnarök, and Marvel’s Loki. As well as being featured in over 60 studio projects, he is also well known in the Scandifolk scene for his work with Sver, the Nor…

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Shruti Ramani: Juno Nominated with Raagaverse - Jaya 1:25:09

2M ago1:25:09

1:25:09

Shruti Ramani talks about her Juno nomination at the 54th awards taking place in Vancouver this weekend, for her band Raagaverse's album Jaya in the Jazz Album of the Year - Group category. Raagaverse consists of Shruti as the vocalist-bandleader and the composer of most tracks on Jaya, Noah Franche-Nolan as the pianist and co-arranger, Jodi Prozni…

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Ben Frost: What is a Composition? 1:28:23

2M ago1:28:23

1:28:23

Ben Frost talks about the nature of composition, some anonymized tales of difficulty on the bandstand, and being a side musician versus a leader. This is Ben's second appearance on the show, the previous one having been hosted back in December 2022 by Will Chernoff. Ben and I will play together as a duo at Is That French? next Thursday, March 27; a…

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Frigg, "Dreamscapes" - Album Review 9:27

3M ago9:27

9:27

Send us a text Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, Frigg have long established themselves as one of the leading string bands in Nordic folk. A small army of six musicians, what has always astounded me about the band is how effectively they use their numbers to their fullest capabilities, often times in their recordings sounding like there…

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#47 - Ale Carr of Dreamers' Circus 56:14

3M ago56:14

56:14

Send us a text A beautiful homecoming! Ale joins the channel once again from balmy California where Dreamers' Circus begin their 2025 U.S. tour to celebrate the release of their new album Handed On. In this conversation, Ale talks about the importance of music in bridging divides between cultures in tumultuous times, the Handed On project, and of c…

1
Bellbird: Claire Devlin, Allison Burik, Eli & Mili return 1:24:06

3M ago1:24:06

1:24:06

The entire Montreal-based band Bellbird sits down for our only 5-person episode ever! Reedists Claire Devlin and Allison Burik join Eli Davidovici and Mili Hong, who were influential on the Vancouver scene while they were based here and previously appeared on Will Chernoff's edition of the podcast as a duo. The members variously played four Infidel…

1
#46 - Norwegian Classical Music with Ola Nordal 1:00:07

3M ago1:00:07

1:00:07

Send us a text This year, I made it a New Years' resolution for the channel that we'd finally start an honest effort in expanding the Nordic Sound into new and more diverse genres, and what better way to bring classical music back into the picture than by chatting with one of my favorite music writers. Join me in welcoming Ola Nordal (Ballade Klass…

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#45 - Torulf on Musical Storytelling in Ristningar i Ginnungagap 1:07:29

3M ago1:07:29

1:07:29

Send us a text Nordicsoundarchive.com Fredrik returns to the Nordic Sound for his second appearance to talk about Torulf's recent record Ristningar i Ginnungagap and the stories that inspire his music. Along the way, we also talk about his earliest memories as a musician, how he became Torulf, and why it's difficult to keep up with new music. Thank…

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#44 - Lassi Logrén on the Tagelharpa (Jouhikko) Tradition 1:31:54

3M ago1:31:54

1:31:54

Send us a text Jameson and Jouhikko virtuoso Lassi Logrén celebrate Finnish independence day by talking about the Jouhikko/Tagelharpa tradition, Finnish folk music, and the Tagelharpa renaissance we’re experiencing outside of traditional folk circles. We also talk about Lassi’s new solo album “Jouhikko”, why Lassi believes the instrument itself sou…

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#43 - Ville and Tommie 1:09:13

3M ago1:09:13

1:09:13

Send us a text Finnish/Swedish(/Cornish?) duo Ville & Tommie join me in Nordic Sound #43 to talk about their uniquely freeform approach to performing Nordic folk music as an accordion and fiddle duo and their debut album "Stuffed Pockets". Along the way, we talk about how the duo came to be, where they come from as individual musicians, and that tr…

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#42 (Part Two) - What is Nordic Folk Music? 42:22

3M ago42:22

42:22

Send us a text In part 2 of Nordic Sound #42, Jameson and Fredrik poke and prod at the thorny question of what folk music is, what makes something folk music, and what folk music means in a Nordic context with Fredrik contributing what he learned while writing and directing the documentary "Trollstemt". I've found these conversations are almost alw…

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#42 - Trollstemt Documentary with Fredrik Akselsen 54:28

3M ago54:28

54:28

Send us a text Join me as I dive deep into the history of Norway's folk music tradition with Fredrik Akselsen, acclaimed director of the series "Trollstemt" - a documentary I had been keeping tabs on since Mattias Thedens of Gangar first promoted it last year. It's funny to think I hadn't the slightest idea that I'd end up having the director on th…

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Jacob Wutzke: Drums, You Better Bet, Tour, Montreal, NYC 55:03

4M ago55:03

55:03

Jacob Wutzke talks about his new album You Better Bet, which showcases his compositions alongside several Tony Williams tunes, and his first tour as a bandleader surrounding the album. After two performances here in Vancouver, Jacob continues on to Portland, Oregon and then to Edmonton and his native Calgary (tour date info here on his website). He…

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Kevin Romain: Drums, DIY Spaces & Scenes, Autopoietic 1 1:21:55

4M ago1:21:55

1:21:55

Kevin Romain talks about his longtime creative residence in our local scene including a solo drum record called Autopoietic 1 forthcoming on the Infidels Jazz label, his band Salience Network, and much more. Raised in Windsor, Ontario, Kevin brings DIY values and "unapologetic" advocacy – as well as coffee roasting and brewing skills at his own ini…

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Jodi Proznick: Bass, Jazz at VSO School, Ostara Project 1:42:55

4M ago1:42:55

1:42:55

Jodi Proznick talks about becoming the Director of Jazz Studies at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music and her work there spanning more than a decade, her values as an educator, and her musical history where she has been one of Canada's most prominent jazz bassists since the 2000s. Jodi's current ensembles include the Ostara Project, T…

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Jason Winikoff: Drums, Percussion, NOLA, Ethnomusicology 1:00:19

5M ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Jason Winikoff talks about playing drums and percussion in the Vancouver scene since his arrival in 2018 from the US, though he is now on the cusp of returning to the states. Jason came here to study at UBC after moving from New Jersey to New Orleans to Boston. He is known for leading his Hot Five, Crescent, and Postcards from Zambia ensembles, for…

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SIMM-podcast #20 1:06:53

5M ago1:06:53

1:06:53

During this episode of the SIMM-podcast we focus on the role composers may play within participatory social and community music projects. You will during this episode hear 3 composers, who have different perspectives and ideas about the questions we ask them. They are practitioners within social music projects, as well as scholars developing resear…

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Chelsea McBride & Thomas Houlden: Sax, Trumpet, Grad School 1:37:49

5M ago1:37:49

1:37:49

Chelsea McBride & Thomas Houlden talk about their experiences in grad school, the multitudes of musical identity, and developing a unique compositional style. We also discuss our favourite underrated Christmas songs. Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus art…

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SIMM-podcast #19 49:41

6M ago49:41

49:41

During the 19th SIMM-podcast episode we assist to a conversation between biologist Olivier Hamant (Institut Michel Serre) and musician Jean-Luc Plouvier (Ictus Ensemble) on ideas and experiences they share with each other from their work on the natural world and the world of music-making. SIMM-founder Lukas Pairon interviews them. Referenced during…

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#41 - Songleikr with Maria Franz and Ingrid Auné Falch 1:23:41

6M ago1:23:41

1:23:41

Send us a text Jameson is joined by Maria Franz and Ingrid Aune Falch to talk about Songleikr's history with Midgardsblot and how important storytelling is as a part of Songleikr's music (and folk music in general). After taking us through their history with "medieval music", we get into a rather difficult and provocative discussion about what Nord…

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David Sikula: Guitar, Audio Engineer, Organ Jazz & More 1:23:42

6M ago1:23:42

1:23:42

David Sikula talks about guitars, illegal busking in Rome, and outdated recording formats. Dave is one of Vancouver’s premier jazz guitarists and one of the most in-demand audio engineers in the city. Dave has played with artists like Brian Charette, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Cory Weeds, The Inhabitants, and the Nightcrawlers. He is well-known for recordin…

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#40 - Kjell Braaten 1:38:16

7M ago1:38:16

1:38:16

Send us a text In Nordic Sound #40, Jameson is joined by Kjell Braaten to talk about Kjell’s approach to skaldic performance and his recent collaboration on the beautiful Lithuanian sutartines project with Stuba and Skaidra Jančaité as part of an ongoing mission to preserve and revitalize Lithuanian communal singing tradition. Key topics in this co…

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John Gross: Saxophone, 6+ Decades of Professional Playing 2:08:36

7M ago2:08:36

2:08:36

John Gross talks about his origins in music, including the first time he heard Charlie Parker, and his long career playing with Shelly Manne, Oliver Nelson, Clare Fischer: just the tip of the iceberg. John is a saxophonist originally from Los Angeles who lived in Portland, Oregon from 1990 to 2016, after which he moved to Vancouver. He shares his t…

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Will Chernoff: Tables Turned! Bass, Rhythm Changes Founder 1:38:34

7M ago1:38:34

1:38:34

Will Chernoff talks to Chris Fraser as a guest on the show he started over three years ago. Will's next music release, Queen's Park, is a digital EP featuring Thad Bailey-Mai, Nebyu Yohannes, Madeleine Elkins, and Miles Wong (release date: Nov. 8, 2024). Will returns as the emcee of IronFest at Ironworks, presented by Coastal Jazz, on November 1st …

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#39 - Einar Selvik of Wardruna (Live at CU Boulder) 1:02:49

7M ago1:02:49

1:02:49

Send us a text In this co-sponsored event between ByNorse and the University of Colorado Boulder's Ethnomusicology and Nordic Studies departments, Einar joins Jameson in front of a live audience to talk about the animist cosmology behind Wardruna's music, what animism means to Einar, how Wardruna's music has (or hasn't) changed over time, and an in…

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David Lavoie & Carson Tworow: Teardown, Production, Beats 1:15:59

8M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

David Lavoie & Carson Tworow talk about their jazz- and beat-influenced music as well as the effect of internet forces on artists' lives. David and Carson released their second album with Inner Ocean Records, Teardown, on Sep. 27, 2024. This is their second appearance on the show, the previous one being episode 14; they are the first returning gues…

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#38 - Mari Boine 1:06:21

8M ago1:06:21

1:06:21

Send us a text In this monumental installment of the Nordic Sound, Jameson is joined by Mari Boine to reflect on her childhood, the rise and influence of her career through Gula Gula, how she has come to be an influential icon to so many around the world, and her place as a powerful voice for Sámi culture since the 1980s. Along the way, Mari explai…

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#37 - Jonas Lorentzen of Nebala 1:10:47

8M ago1:10:47

1:10:47

Send us a text Jonas Lorentzen returns to the Nordic Sound to discuss what Nebala's been up to since last time we met. In this conversation, we have a retrospective on the debut album, and where Jonas wants to take Nebala's sound and vision from there. We also discuss singing as community and Jonas' singing workshops, ponder why we don't sing as mu…

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John Korsrud: Composition, Trumpet, Hard Rubber Orchestra 1:21:03

8M ago1:21:03

1:21:03

John Korsrud talks about composition, his formative years learning from Hugh Fraser, and his seven times going to Burning Man. John is a composer and trumpeter in Vancouver who is known for his Juno-nominated big band, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, and for its parallel band Orquestra Goma Dura as well as his newer large ensemble called Absolute Unit. …

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#36 - Nils Edström of Hindarfjäll 1:23:47

9M ago1:23:47

1:23:47

Send us a text (#35 with Rúnahild is only available on Youtube due to unfortunate audio issues on my end) Today I am joined once again by Nils Edström, the man behind Hindarfjäll perhaps best known for his performance of My Mother Told Me with Peter Franzén from the Vikings television series. I’ve had Nils on before, but now he is back to talk abou…

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Madeleine Elkins: Guitar, Teacher, Indie Touring Musician 1:19:20

9M ago1:19:20

1:19:20

Madeleine Elkins talks about teaching, touring, and physical vs. digital media. Madeleine is a guitarist, singer, and banjoist who is known for her work with Madelyn Read, Meredith Louise, and Maddisun among other various projects across the folk, indie, and jazz scenes in Vancouver. She also talks about growing up in New Westminster, her introduct…

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Will's special announcement on the future of this podcast 1:03

10M ago1:03

1:03

I'm so proud to tell you that Chris Fraser is taking over as the host of this show, starting with the next episode.By Chernoff Music

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Sapalo Shafooli: Episode 100! Photography, ‘Jazz Flights’ 2:50:12

10M ago2:50:12

2:50:12

Sapalo Shafooli talks about his deep engagement with Vancouver's local music scene through photography, video, and attendance at countless live shows – including the multi-stop, transit-powered nights he has referred to as jazz flights. Born in Zambia and raised primarily in Terrace, BC, Sapalo has been active in the jazz community since 2008 at th…

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#34 - Espen Winther of Eldrim 1:48:32

10M ago1:48:32

1:48:32

Send us a text In this very special Nordic Sound Channel interview, I sit down with Espen Winther of Eldrim for an exclusive early look at the new record "Daudrastev" as we preview and discuss each track before the album releases. Espen has long been a vocal supporter of the channel, and it's truly been an honor to do this special collaboration in …

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Feven Kidane: Trumpet, Bass, Jazzfest, Upbringing, Culture 1:41:44

10M ago1:41:44

1:41:44

Feven Kidane talks about performing at and around the 2024 jazzfest with her own group as well as other ensembles. Feven is a multi-instrumentalist known for her projects with Gordy Li, Andromeda Monk, and many more of the rising generation locally. We also discuss family, upbringing, going to CapU's jazz program, and many more topics. At around th…

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[Album Review] Nordein, "Reisa" 7:27

10M ago7:27

7:27

Send us a text In Nordein's newest offering, "Reisa", we're given a three-course meal teasing some new and old ideas to expect from the project in the future, taking us from the world of early 2000s "celtic" folk world of into a more contemporary dark folk sound by the EP's end. A short review for a short EP - let's talk about it! "Nordein, fronted…

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John Nicholson: Saxophone, Jazzfest Gigs, Queer as Funk 1:16:27

10M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

John Nicholson talks about the many gigs he played around jazzfest time, including with Kevin Romain's Salience Network, Biboye Onanuga, Queer as Funk, and more. John is a saxophonist who spent time in the Toronto scene during his educational journey, going there for graduate studies after completing CapU's jazz program. He moved back to Vancouver …

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Album Review: Floating Sofa Quartet, "Kystnaert" 8:55

11M ago8:55

8:55

Send us a text One of my favorite groups in the Nordic folk scene today is finally back, joined by the wonderful Norwegian hardanger fiddler Gura Kvifte Neisheim for the new maritime record "Kystnaert" This has been my most anticipated album of the summer, and for good reason. I fell deeply in love with this group back in 2016 with their incredible…

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Jenny Xu, Ben Feldman, & Kofi Shepsu: Friendship, Trio 1:00:10

11M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

Jenny Xu, Ben Feldman, & Kofi Shepsu talk about playing together in their New York-based trio called Friendship since 2018, NYC jazz stories, their two albums to-date (Project Sock Retrieval and Ghost Stories), and the recording session and gigs that they just came to Vancouver for. Jenny is a pianist originally from Surrey. She and Friendship's ba…

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Bülows Kvartett - "Vad än som i världen händer" [Album Review] 12:11

11M ago12:11

12:11

Send us a text Let's dive into the debut album from a daring new folk/jazz quartet from Sweden. Support the show The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons over on Patreon.com/nordicsound The Nordic Sound is supported by its patrons: George Bets Carrie Gen Leigh Mike Cindy Clayton Drake Eric Jamie Julia Mary Michael Michael Sean Simon Tony…

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Eivør, "Enn" - Album Review 19:02

11M ago19:02

19:02

Send us a text A new kind of album review on the Nordic Sound Channel. And what better way to return to the grind than with a new release from one of my favorite Nordic singers, Eivør. Patreon.com/nordicsoundchannel "Eivør calls her Nordic home in the remote Faroe Islands a landscape of extremes. Sitting in the North Atlantic Ocean just above Scotl…

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Mili Hong & Eli Davidovici: Drums, Bass, Bellbird, Montreal 1:15:57

11M ago1:15:57

1:15:57

Mili Hong & Eli Davidovici talk about touring as part of their band Bellbird with Claire Devlin and Allison Burik, the other Vancouver engagements in their 2024 jazzfest experience, and their move to Montreal. Mili and Eli are a drums-bass team who are arguably the eminent Vancouver jazz rhythm section of my generation going back to the mid-2010s. …

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#33 - Chris Welsh of Sun and Moon Dance 1:07:54

11M ago1:07:54

1:07:54

Send us a text In a first for the channel, multi-instrumentalist and folk musician Chris Welsh sits down with me in my own living room to talk about his storied career with over a decade as Sun and Moon Dance, his multiple collaborations with some Nordic Sound Channel fan favorites, and his perspectives as an American working in the Nordic music sc…

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