We love hearing sounds from lesser-known or lesser populated places, there’s something so unique and special and for some reason islanders make some of the best songwriters. We’re happy to prove our theory with Faroese musician Benjamin Rajani who rekindled a love for his mother tongue, the language native to the Faroe Islands, while studying at a university in the UK. Isolated from the few people who shared his language, Rajani began to experiment with poetic lyrics that soon enough led to some beautiful indie-folk songs.
First that we’re hearing of his project is ‘Mánakvøld‘, a blissful, acoustic guitar-driven track that transforms the mundane into the magical. Inspired by the dual meaning of this song’s title, which can be translated as either “Monday” or “moon night”, Rajani considers how our interpretation can change everything. Mondays are far from anyone’s favourite day, usually it’s associated with the daily grind or the boring admin tasks or saying farewell to the weekend. By contrast, a moon-lit night can exist outside of this dull constraints.
As the songwriter himself explains, “With ‘Mánakvøld,’ I wanted to capture the feeling of youth and falling in love. To me, endless car rides under a moonlit sky—where time feels infinite and every moment is filled with possibility—encapsulate that perfectly.”
The warm production, dreamy textures and steady pace create an inviting space where listeners can reflect on their own idea of a perfect moon-lit night. It’s definitely not a requirement to understand Faroese to immerse yourself in this beautiful song.
You can also listen to ‘Mánakvøld‘ in our Folk This Way playlist.
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