The song "I.VVV.I" from a rehearsal in July. The newly formed band Dödsansikte: Martin Wikström - guitar and electronics, Torbjörn Ömalm - guitar and sampler, Markus Larsson - drums and percussion.

Dödsansikte - "I.VVV.I" - Rehearsal Tapes - July 2014

Artist: Torbjörn Ömalm
Album title: Muutos: short letters to unknown recipients
Release date 24th of February 2017
Label: Saajon Musiikki
Catalogue nr: Saa002
Formats: mp3/stream
Contact: torbjornomalm@gmail.com
https://soundcloud.com/torbj-rn-malm-1

All songs composed, arranged and improvised by Torbjörn Ömalm
All instruments (and voices) played by Torbjörn Ömalm
Additional handclaps by Johan Karlsson
Additional ice throwing by Nikolai Äystö Lindholm and Sandra Josefsson at Nuortajärvi October 2016.

Engineered, recorded and mixed by Johan Karlsson at Arctic Mire Studios in Riitajänkkä January 2017. 
Mastered by Ronald Vikström.

Drawing by Torbjörn Ömalm
Artwork design by Miriam Vikman

Thanks to my beloved brother Mats, my parents, relatives, friends, fellow musicians and artists, colleagues and the artistic research department at LTU.

This album is dedicated to my brother Mats (1977-2015). I love you forever.

Huhta

A sacrificial site was located on a small ness in the lake (and nowadays village) of Sakajärvi. A small cleared passage through the bushes led to a stone seite. It is said that the worshippers smeared it with fish blood for good hunting and fishing luck. Today the ness is part of a homestead in the village. The dogs howling and barking on the recording is sounding from that location. Across the lake of Sakajärvi one can clearly see the Aitik mine.

Tech:
All songs on Wood Idol are composed, arranged and improvised by Torbjörn Ömalm
Torbjörn Ömalm – guitars, bass, voice, percussion, field recordings
Markus Larsson – drums on “Sáhkaguojkka” and “Piilivaara”
Rachel Nergård – voice on “Piilivaara”
Engineered, recorded and mixed by Johan Karlsson at Arctic Mire Studios in April – August 2018
Mastered by Ronald Vikström

Laplandic guitarist Torbjörn Ömalm use elements from his native area, such as inspiration from the arctic languages Sámi and Meänkieli and aesthetics within these cultures, when creating music. He has released four albums with original music: Saajo (Saajon Musiikki 2010), Tih (F-IRE label 2014), Möstokki (Small House 2015) and Muutos (Saajon Musiikki 2017).

4. HALTIANIEMI

Sáhkaguojkka is a well-known sacred site that was exposed to heavy looting by a former Laplandic doctor in the late 1800s. It is located on a cliff above the riverbank of Linkkajoki (Linaälv) a couple of miles outside of small town Gällivare. Findings from this site is said to include, for example, tree canes with carved inscriptions, a couple of seits (stone), bones and skulls from animals and a small box, a kisa. The legend says that a reindeer hunter, Ráhak, used this site as a place of offerings during the 1700s. A couple of kilometres from Sáhkaguojkka one can find a small forest hill named after him, Rahavaara. When I visited the place, I envisioned him navigating through the brushes from that hill to this cliff.

Tech:
All songs on Wood Idol are composed, arranged and improvised by Torbjörn Ömalm
Torbjörn Ömalm – guitars, bass, voice, percussion, field recordings
Markus Larsson – drums on “Sáhkaguojkka” and “Piilivaara”
Rachel Nergård – voice on “Piilivaara”
Engineered, recorded and mixed by Johan Karlsson at Arctic Mire Studios in April – August 2018
Mastered by Ronald Vikström

Laplandic guitarist Torbjörn Ömalm use elements from his native area, such as inspiration from the arctic languages Sámi and Meänkieli and aesthetics within these cultures, when creating music. He has released four albums with original music: Saajo (Saajon Musiikki 2010), Tih (F-IRE label 2014), Möstokki (Small House 2015) and Muutos (Saajon Musiikki 2017).

3. SÁHKAGUOJKKA

Piilivaara is a small forest mountain located in the south-east of Kiruna municipally with a known history of being a sacred place. Here it is said that a famous Sámi-noita (magician); Piili-Einari took his last steps, ran off a cliff and flied like a bird over the Saivo lakes below. He was never to be found again. There is also an alternative folk tale to the story about Einari; he ran and jumped from a big rock located near the shore of the nearby lake Piilijärvi. According to locals, the footprint from his last leap is still visual on the rock.

Tech:
All songs on Wood Idol are composed, arranged and improvised by Torbjörn Ömalm
Torbjörn Ömalm – guitars, bass, voice, percussion, field recordings
Markus Larsson – drums on “Sáhkaguojkka” and “Piilivaara”
Rachel Nergård – voice on “Piilivaara”
Engineered, recorded and mixed by Johan Karlsson at Arctic Mire Studios in April – August 2018
Mastered by Ronald Vikström

Laplandic guitarist Torbjörn Ömalm use elements from his native area, such as inspiration from the arctic languages Sámi and Meänkieli and aesthetics within these cultures, when creating music. He has released four albums with original music: Saajo (Saajon Musiikki 2010), Tih (F-IRE label 2014), Möstokki (Small House 2015) and Muutos (Saajon Musiikki 2017).

2. PIILIVAARA

The presumed sacred seite in Suolarova is a heavy cone shaped rock on top of four smaller stones, a so called "liggande höna" in Swedish. It is located on a rocky place in the woods outside of the lake Suolajärvi a couple of kilometres from the village Torasjärvi in the south-east part of Gällivare municipality. A local citizen built a protective enclosure around it during the mid 1900s. I saw money, newer coins laying under the large rock. Suolarova is located relatively far from bigger roads or houses. During the calm day of the field recording there were few noticeable sounds in the air. Here one can mainly hear subtle sounds of my “crunchy” footsteps, distant bird singing and the wind occasionally making note in the beginning of the song.

Tech:
All songs on Wood Idol are composed, arranged and improvised by Torbjörn Ömalm
Torbjörn Ömalm – guitars, bass, voice, percussion, field recordings
Markus Larsson – drums on “Sáhkaguojkka” and “Piilivaara”
Rachel Nergård – voice on “Piilivaara”
Engineered, recorded and mixed by Johan Karlsson at Arctic Mire Studios in April – August 2018
Mastered by Ronald Vikström

Laplandic guitarist Torbjörn Ömalm use elements from his native area, such as inspiration from the arctic languages Sámi and Meänkieli and aesthetics within these cultures, when creating music. He has released four albums with original music: Saajo (Saajon Musiikki 2010), Tih (F-IRE label 2014), Möstokki (Small House 2015) and Muutos (Saajon Musiikki 2017).

1. SUOLAROVA

Siela mettassa

Torbjörn is a improv/folk guitarist from Lapland, Sweden. He mainly creates conceptual situated music out of his Forest Sámi and Kven roots. 

Plays guitar in: Dödsansikte, Ruohtta, Djuasa, :heiva: and Johan Airijoki & Malmfältens Rockklubb. 

For more action, visit: https://torbjornomalm.bandcamp.com

Torbjörn Ömalm

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