For the past 15 years, Faber Horbach has traced our connection with the sun through the music of Sowulo, but his upcoming concept album, NIHT, journeys into darkness. Written while grieving the loss of both his father and stepfather, lead single "Āsteorfan" ("To Die") is a meditation that, while filled with sorrow, finds that death is not a final resting place, but a portal into spiritual awakening.

Watch the video for "Āsteorfan" Below:

NIHT comes out August 29 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/sowuloniht

Pre-save on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/6MwgfM76MaUNqyFL8ImNAo

“Āsteorfan” marks a threshold in NIHT's conceptual journey through the subconscious, cycles of decay and spiritual teachings of the Moon. The song is grounded in ancient instrumentation and ritualistic textures. Nyckelharpa and carnyx merge with deep percussion and throat singing, creating a sonic terrain that feels both ancestral and sacred. The minimal yet immersive arrangement evokes the inner descent into silence and stillness, offering a moment of surrender that echoes far beyond the self.

The music video for “Āsteorfan” was filmed and directed by Jasper van Gheluwe. Color grading was done by Micky Huijsmans

Sowulo is the evocative musical work of Faber Horbach, blending the spiritual philosophy of ancient Northern Europe with the continuous cycles of the universe.

Through the use of a wide array of historical instruments, melancholic melodies, and philosophical lyrics in Anglo-Saxon, Sowulo crafts an immersive sonic landscape that invites listeners to embark on an inner journey.

Weaving together the sounds of instruments like the Carnyx, Nyckelharpa, Celtic Harp, Shaman drums, Blow horns, Irish Bouzouki, Taglharpa, Lyre, Viola and various traditional vocal techniques, Sowulo shapes its distinctive sound.

The name "Sowulo," meaning "Sun" in Proto-Germanic, reflects the essence of the music. As we circle the sun, we feel the cyclical nature of life: day and night, the four seasons, birth and death, and the eternal dance between decay and renewal.

᛫ ᛇ ᚩ ᚹ ᚢ ᛚ ᚩ ᛫

Line-up:
Faber Horbach| Vocals, Throat singing, Nyckelharpa, Carnyx, Irish bouzouki, Percussion, Synths & VST
Micky Huijsmans| Vocals
Chloe Bakker| Celtic triplett harp
Maria Angeles Chaparro Fuentes| Viola
Rikke Linssen| Violin
Heleen de Jonge| Cello
Tessa van Genderen| Carnyx, Bukkehorn, Blowhorns
Bart van den Brink| Taglharpa
Tim Elfring| Small percussion

Production Credits:
Recorded at Lil’ Heaven Studios, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Produced by Faber Horbach
Recorded by Faver Horbach & Alain Kalender
Mixed by Fieke van den Hurk & Marie de Koning at DearWorld Studio and Studio MDK
Mastered by Erwin Maas at eMastering

Cover Art:
Album & artwork concept |Faber Horbach
Line artwork and graphic design development |Micky Huijsmans
Graphic design |Travis Smith

Photography:
Sannamari Sallmén
Aldwin Lehr

Pre-save & Pre-order: https://orcd.co/sowuloniht
Pre-save on Spotify: https://orcd.co/sowuloniht

Follow Sowulo:
Official website:https://www.sowulo.nl/home
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sowulo.music
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Sowulo
Bandcamp:https://sowulo.bandcamp.com/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/sowuloofficial
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4BkdqpIEhl0tKZ5xpAo5pR
Songkick:https://www.songkick.com/artists/9118989-sowulo/calendar
DoomStar roster:https://doomstarbookings.com/artists/sowulo/

Like a classic composition, over the last decade, Sowulo has been steadily building. Multi-instrumentalist and composer Faber Horbach has been tracing our cyclical nature with dark folk that's inspired by Anglo-Saxon traditions and Viking mysticism and philosophy. Now that the project has grown into a transformative live act, Sowulo has signed with French label Season of Mist ahead of a headlining tour of Europe.

As Faber and company head toward these new horizons, today, Sowulo are revisiting two classics. These new versions of "Yule" and "Ginnungagap" stay true to their foundation, but they also reflect the project's evolution, shaped by both its current live lineup and ongoing exploration of spirituality. As new songs begin to take shape, revisiting these classics offers a timely reflection on their origins and a glimpse of what lies ahead.

Listen to "Yule (Revisited)" and "Ginnungagap (Revisited)" below:

Stream
https://orcd.co/sowuloyule

Yule (Revisited)
Originally written in 2012, "Yule" was the first composition created for Sowulo. The song captures the spirit of Midwinter, where darkness gives way to light and endings carry the seeds of new beginnings. On stage, it serves as a ritualistic moment of stillness and reflection.

"This was the very first song I ever wrote for Sowulo, composed sometime in 2012 on the piano for the 'Alvenrad’ album." Faber explains. "The song was born from my own yearning to create music for celebrating the turning of the seasons, to accompany the pagan feasts that honor the eternal cycle of nature."

Ginnungagap (Revisited)
Inspired by Norse cosmology, "Ginnungagap" evokes the void from which existence emerged. First composed for SOL in 2016, this revisited version enhances the original’s focus on balance—between chaos and form, emptiness and life. It remains a central expression of Sowulo's mythic and spiritual foundation.

"Originally composed around 2014 on piano, I then reworked the parts to suit the Celtic harp and Irish bouzouki." Faber says. "From there, we added viola, Irish whistle, vocals, and percussion. The song expresses the concept of the universe’s origin, as told in ancient Scandinavian mythology."

SOWULO is the work of multi-instrumentalist and composer Faber Horbach, and is inspired by Anglo-Saxon and Viking-age mysticism and philosophy. Captivated by the cyclical nature of existence and an animistic worldview, Faber is determined to express his spiritual path through his music.

With lyrics in Anglo-Saxon and historical instruments, Sowulo creates an immersive sonic universe that challenges both the creator and listener to go on an inner journey and to invoke cyclical wisdom from deep within.

Sowulo means ‘Sun' in proto-germanic. The music follows our connection with the Sun and tells the story of our inner and outer cycles of day and night, the four seasons, birth and death.

᛫ ᛇ ᚩ ᚹ ᚢ ᛚ ᚩ ᛫

Follow SOWULO:
Official website:https://www.sowulo.nl/home
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sowulo.music
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Sowulo
Bandcamp:https://sowulo.bandcamp.com/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/sowuloofficial
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4BkdqpIEhl0tKZ5xpAo5pR
Songkick:https://www.songkick.com/artists/9118989-sowulo/calendar
DoomStar roster:https://doomstarbookings.com/artists/sowulo/

Sowulo Embrace the Night on New Album 'NIHT'

Sowulo Releases New Versions of Old Classics