“Norupo” by Heilung

From the subtle pulsations of a low-end tonality to the outright cry of the chanting voices and intertwining flute forming the melody in “Norupo,” to say that Heilung are on another level of artistic connectivity with the universe in their most recent music video might not be a true enough statement for a critic like myself to make. There’s something powerful that is unspoken but entirely noticeable in their performance here, and no matter how many times the song is heard or its video is dissected by the audience, it seems as though it reveals another layer of its emotional substance with each devoted session. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amplifiedhistory

The way this track was mixed creates an equilibrium between the different elements in the music, with no one component overpowering the others at any given moment in the song. The video’s esoteric imagery draws inspiration from a medieval northern Europe most of us can barely fathom without tripping into notions based solely in fantasy, and still none of the shots feel overly cinematic or propped up by excess. This is art and history clashing together in an unforgettable harmony, and if you haven’t already seen or heard it for yourself, doing so would definitely be a good idea. 

There’s no other way for me to put it – Heilung’s “Norupo” is one of the most hypnotic single/video combos I’ve reviewed this year to date, and it’s likely going to remain one among the most affective as 2021 presses on. Heilung are fearless in their melding of the Old World and the new wave of detailed-musicianship that has become all the rage across the globe in recent years here, and if this is giving us any sort of a look at what they’re going to be doing in the future, this won’t be the only work they release to critical acclaim. 

Zachary Rush