Artist description Sacred music for the goddess Hela. The sound of the underworld. What one hears when an ear is pressed up against a burial mound.

Music Style Dark ambient, cold drift, electro-acoustic, sacral experimental.

Musical Influences The voice of Hela.

Similar Artists Biosphere, Lustmord, Robert Rich, Hildegard Westerkamp, vidna Obmana, Steve Reich, Kaija Saariaho, Annea Lockwood, Steve Roach, Eliane Radigue.

Artist History Gydja is the name of a one-womyn musical grouping that came into existence around 1994 and 1995, with the aim of creating music that could be used for magickal and shamanic purposes. Gydja is an Old Norse word for "priestess" and indicates the sacred intent of the music, which focuses on the role of the dark goddess Hela, as well as some of Her sisters in other cultures. Some of the earliest ideas involved using sound recordings derived from nature, and basing whole pieces on these sounds in a largely unprocessed way. This is still a concern of Gydja, but with more emphasis now being placed on abstracting these sounds so that, while they retain a sense of their original source, they become something else entirely. The cassette album Mari-Ama was the first official release of note, and featured a loop-based, somewhat noisy sound, while a semi-official promo tape was more refined. An audio companion to the magickal text The Rokkrbok featured two 45 minute tracks: Cnawan-Lac (a guided pathworking) and Xultan (a hermetic soundscape). Rokkrsong has been remistressed and made available as a CDR. The Gydja sounds was refined over a period with a number of unreleased tracks, including Helchemy, a full length work that became the last major analogue piece created by Gydja before a transition to the digital format. Progression into the digital domain allowed for far greater control over the creation and manipulation of sound, but the control over structure also introduced the need to avoid a natural inclination towards conventional pieces. As a result, some of the more recent Gydja tracks could be classed simply as ambient, while at the same time, there are tracks that are unmistakably experimental and unconventional. Some of the more conventional tracks such as Wolfzahn, Mordgud (which includes a drum and bass remix), and Odainsakr, have been made available online via mp3.com, and sit alongside more unconventional pieces like The Garden of Hela and Her Arms Outstretched.

Group Members Abby Helasdottir (all music and sound creation)... with various vocal collaborators.

Instruments Samplers, shaman drums, synths, computer software, indian flutes, chimes, found sound, ritual sounds, human voice.

Albums Mari-Ama (1995). Rokkrsong (1997/2001), Liber Babalon (2001), Cold Seed {Hagalaz Meditation} (2002), Rivers... (2002)

Press Reviews Review of Liber Babalon, from the NZ Gothboard: "Although this music has been created for a Babalon working there is no reason for it not to be enjoyed purely for aural pleasure! From a listening enjoyment point of view, I like the Omega Cd best with it's haunting vocals in "Hymn to babalon II" and the eerie droning soundscapes of "AlphaOmega - A Drone for the Throne of Babalon". I believe this musical work would definitely appeal to fans of such artists as Coil, Endura and Rapoon's more ambient moments."

Location Wellington, North Island - New Zealand

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