Neun Welten
Lush, wood-smoke folk that feels like a walk through a German forest at dusk. Intricate strings and flutes create a cinematic, melancholic world for quiet reflection.
Lush, wood-smoke folk that feels like a walk through a German forest at dusk. Intricate strings and flutes create a cinematic, melancholic world for quiet reflection.
Neun Welten creates music that feels like a physical place, specifically the deep, ancient forests of Central Europe. Their sound is rooted in the organic warmth of acoustic guitars, violins, and flutes, but it carries a weight and seriousness that separates it from traditional folk. It is music of shadows and soft light, favoring minor keys and intricate, interlocking melodies that suggest a narrative without always needing words.
What makes them truly distinctive is their ability to bridge the gap between the intimacy of chamber music and the atmospheric scale of post-rock. While many dark folk acts rely on a lo-fi or primitive aesthetic, Neun Welten embraces a sophisticated, almost classical arrangement style. Their later work introduces cinematic vocal layers and more expansive production, turning their folk foundations into something that feels like the score to a lost European fairytale.
Start with 'Destrunken' to hear their instrumental mastery at its peak. It is an album that perfectly captures their signature blend of playful woodwinds and somber, driving rhythms. If you prefer something more vocal-driven and expansive, 'The Sea I'm Diving In' offers a more modern, post-rock-inflected take on their established forest-folk identity.
Neun Welten (meaning Nine Worlds in German, which relates to the nine worlds of Norse mythology) is a German music group primarily incorporating instrumental acoustic, traditional folk and dark folk in their music. The musical style is composed of dark folk, dreamy but also playful melodies and classical elements. The point of main emphasis of this young band from Halle and Leipzig is the acoustical orchestration. The sound carry off the audience in a calm atmosphere full of harmony and melancholy. In 2005, Neun Welten was designated for the German Folk Award "RUTH 2005" in the Newcomer category. In 2007 they went on tour with Finnish band Tenhi and Dornenreich/Elane. The band also contributed their song Pan to Prophecy Productions' multi-artist compilation Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings, published in 2010. Since 2018, Italian bassist Giacomo Astorri has been a member of Neun Welten. In addition to his work with Neun Welten, Astorri has played in various metal bands, including The Dogma, Infernal Angels (guitar), ZAP (bass), Haggard and is currently a member of the Italian doom metal band Stryx (https://www.stryxband.com), whose debut album is in preparation. Besides his musical career, Astorri is also active as a professional concert and event photographer.
Shares interlocking woodwind melodies, flute, neofolk, forest (detail)
Shares neofolk, forest, flute, post-rock (subgenre)
Shares neofolk, neoclassical, forest, flute (subgenre)
Shares neofolk, forest, chamber folk, violin (subgenre)
Shares neofolk, forest, post-rock, violin (subgenre)
Shares neofolk, chamber folk, flute, violin (subgenre)
Shares neoclassical, chamber folk, cello, forest (subgenre)
Shares neofolk, forest, flute, chamber folk (subgenre)
Shares neofolk, forest, chamber folk, cabin in woods (subgenre)
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