PATRICIA WOLF - HRAFNAMYND

1. Early Memories
2. Subconscious Familiarity
3. Krummi's Theme
4. Huginn and Muninn
5. The Return To Iceland
6. Reykjavík By The Sea
7. I Thought I Could Fly
8. Hrafnaþing
9. Surfing On Wind
10. Echoes Through Time
11. I'll Take Care Of You

Portland-based ambient artist Patricia Wolf returns to Balmat Records this year with 'Hrafnamynd', an eleven track L.P. which serves as a film score to an Icelandic production of the same name. 'Hrafnamynd' (translates to raven film) is a full-length feature documentary from experimental filmmaker Edward Pack Davee.

This is Wolf's second release on the label, as this album follows the much-loved and acclaimed 2022 release 'See Through'. Mostly created using the UDO Super 6 Synthesizer, 'Hrafnamynd' provides a beautiful balance of melody and emotion, where sweeping synths and warm pads are complemented perfectly with captured field recordings. 

Whilst this follow up album offers up new sounds and styles, there are also elements that show continuation from 'See Through' and when all put together, continue to cement Wolf's place as one of the most prominent ambient artists currently working in the genre.

Artist's statement

'Edward and I have been friends for years, but we really started to get to know one another better after I hired him to make music videos for my songs “Woodland Encounter” and “The Culmination Of.” For those projects we got to spend a lot of time hiking in various locations around the Pacific Northwest with his camera, very nice lenses, and tripod. Keeping quiet, hidden, and vigilant we searched for wildlife, good light on the trees, meadows, lakes, rivers, and skies. Edward was already an appreciator of my music and I was already in awe of his filmmaking talents so it felt like a great fit. Although we work in different areas of art our styles compliment one another. We both tend toward slow and careful pacing, with a focus on emotion and introspective reflections on life and the landscapes around us. For this reason, I knew that I could trust Edward to create videos for my music. We saw so many beautiful and unexpected things on our filming days, but I was moved to tears once I saw how magnificent and poetic it all was. His video work from the cinematography, to the editing, and color correction helped bring my inner vision to life.

A few months after that, Edward surprised me with an invitation to work on the soundtrack for his new film, Hrafnamynd. I enthusiastically said yes. I had always wanted to work on a film, and I knew that his filmmaking style would be inspiring to write music for. I had recently acquired an UDO Super 6 synthesizer but hadn't used it much. I decided that this would be the synth that I'd use for the film. It has the ability to sound very modern, but can also sound so warm and fuzzy, like a synth from the 1970s. It turned out to be the perfect instrument for this project as the film itself straddles time from the ’70s to today.

When Edward sent me the rough cut of the film, he used placeholder music to help give me an idea of the emotion and energy that he was hoping to achieve for each scene. For many of the scenes, Edward used music from my albums as temporary tracks. This told me that he trusted my work and style and therefore I should just trust my intuition with how to proceed. I wanted to make sure that everything that I made was a direct reflection of what was happening on screen, a mirror of its emotion and energy so people could really lock into the film psychologically. This process took my composing to unexpected places—like being led by a strange cat or a raven that seemed to have something to show me. I found that the approach made the music so much more dynamic than my usual style. I really enjoyed being influenced by the action and dialog on the screen. Thankfully, Edward was very happy with the work. I made sure to handle this project with the utmost care because this is about his life and his family, and an exploration of the experiences that made him an artist and filmmaker. While watching the film many times over, I found myself thinking about my own family and my early memories with them and how the place where I grew up has influenced who I have become. I found that his film invites the viewer to reflect on their own lives in a similar way. I hope that this music and film can guide others to contemplate on the history of their beingness and the people and places that shaped them.

Another aspect to this project is the splendor and wonder of Iceland itself. I had the opportunity to visit Iceland for the first time in 2023. I got to play a show there for the Extreme Chill Festival and met many friendly and brilliant Icelanders. I also got to collect field recordings that I used in the film. It's a fascinating place and culture that easily captures the hearts and imaginations of anyone who visits. Whether you spend your time in the city immersed in its impressive arts scene, or venture out into the wilderness to behold its wondrous landscape, it will leave a lasting impression. The soundtrack is also a love letter to Iceland itself.'

If you like this, why not check out other releases from Balmat Records, as well diving into our new releases within our ambient music category.