Hailing from the heart of Copenhagen, Danheim is the brainchild of Reidar Schæfer Olsen — a music producer who has spent ten years mastering the intersection of ambient soundscapes and ancestral echoes. Through Danheim, Olsen explores the shadows of the Viking era, channeling the grim beauty of Nordic mythology and Danish folk tales. The result is a hauntingly authentic experience that bridges the gap between ancient history and modern electronic craft — with music featured in multiple seasons of the popular TV show Vikings. We recently caught up with Reidar to dive deeper into the dark, folkloric world he has created.

HH: You mention the album evokes “a return to something older and deeper.”
What does that “older and deeper” mean for you — is it cultural,
spiritual, or emotional?

For me, it’s about reconnecting with the parts of us that existed before
we started over-complicating life. The older and deeper is something
beyond language, something instinctive ancient, and human. Its cultural
in the sense that it reaches back into shared memory, and spiritual
because it reminds me that we´re all connected through that same pulse.

HH: You’ve described “Heimferd” as being guided more by instinct and
atmosphere than a fixed mythological story. What was it like to compose
from intuition rather than from legend? And is there still an underlying
motif that connects the songs?

To be honest, I often compose by instinct, but maybe this time around a
bit more even. Instead of building around a story, I let the sound
itself tell me where to go through imagination. There is still a thread
running through everything, but its more emotional rather than
mythological. The motif is movement, discovery traveling through
darkness toward a sense of belonging.

HH: “Stormdans” and “Yggdrasil II” seem to bookend the album’s energy. How
do you see these pieces relating to each other within the overall
journey?

Stormdans is movement and a bit of chaos and just letting go – the dance
before the calm. Yggdrasil II is the reflection that follows, like roots
reaching downward after the storm has passed. Together they close the
circle, one beginning the journey, the other grounding it.

HH: Was there a particular challenge or breakthrough moment while producing
the album?

I wouldnt say there was a single breakthrough or major challenge this
time. There is always a bit of uncertainty at the beginning – wondering
how a piece will start, where it will end, and if the flow will feel
natural. But once I give it space and allow my mind to wander, things
usually take shape on their own. The music finds its direction when I
stop forcing it.

HH: How would you describe the album musically, compared to its
predecessors?

Its more varied in mood and texture than my previous albums, and maybe
more about tone and emotion. But I also touch on new themes – for
example, “Brenhin Llwyd” steps outside the usual Norse framework and
draws from Welsh mythology. It still belongs to the same atmospheric
world, but it adds another shade to it, a reminder that these old
stories and feelings exist across many landscapes, not just the Nordic
one.

HH: Do you see “Heimferd” as a continuation of your earlier work, or as a
new chapter exploring different territory?

Definitely as a new separate chapter, with a different/varied pace. I
see all my albums as connected in some way through Norse mythology and
my imagination of those times. But Heimferd feels like pausing to look
back before moving forward again.

HH: How does your understanding of Nordic heritage shape the way you compose
and produce music today?

It reminds me that sound was once something sacred – a way to connect
with people, ancestors, and the unknown. That perspective keeps me a bit
grounded, I think. I approach music as something special, something that
can carry meaning or tell a story.

HH: Finally, if “Heimferd” were a place, what would it look like? What would
we feel standing there?

It would be open and quiet, like a sunlit meadow in the rolling Danish
landscape, with a main wooden hall glowing with firelight inside and
smaller Viking houses scattered around. You would feel the cold in the
air and warmth in your chest. That mix of community and belonging, and
calmness after a long journey.

Photos: © Reidar Schæfer Olsen