At the centre of Himmelskygge is The Drift, a cycle by Kari Telstad Sundet that sets texts by Emily Dickinson. The work is one of the album’s defining contributions, bringing together voice, acoustic instruments, and electronics in a contemporary Norwegian context.
Sundet’s involvement is unusual in that she appears both as composer and performer. Her electronic work gives the album a sonic identity that connects directly with its wider aim: to dissolve boundaries between classical song, experimental music, and ensemble-based expression.
The album is performed by mezzo-soprano Hege Høisæter, pianist Jorunn Marie Bratlie, Kari Telstad Sundet on electronics, and Tov a Vot. The ensemble consists of Vetle Nærø on piano and keys, Theis Jakob on bass, and Ola Grindbakken on drums.
Released by LAWO Classics in May 2026, Himmelskygge also includes music by Olav Anton Thommessen, Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen, Theis Jakob, and Gisle Kverndokk.
