Icelandic band Baggalútur released the album Sólskinid í Dakota (“The Sunshine in Dakota”) last week with songs which they composed to eleven poems written by two of the most famous “West Icelandic” poets, Káinn and Stephan G. Stephansson.
The idea of the album was born last year when the band members traveled with their families to the areas where Icelandic immigrants settled in North America in the late 19th and early 20th century, Morgunbladid reports.
Most of the songs on the album were written to compliment poems by Káinn, including the title song Sólskinid í Dakota, and one of his most beloved poems which he wrote to the farmer’s girl Stína, Christine Hall, who turned 100 this summer.
Originally Baggalútur had planned to only write one song as a present to her, but ended up making an entire album. Icelandic singers Megas and Gylfi Aegisson, along with the senior male choir Gamlir Fóstbraedur also participate in the album.
Baggalútur, Megas and his backup band Senuthjófarnir played songs from the album at the music festival Now in Winnipeg, at Gimli and Riverton last spring and will celebrate the release of the album in Iceland with a concert at Salurinn in Kópavogur on September 3.
The album was released by the new record label Borgin and is available on its website.
