Local quintet Skald centres their music strongly on the Maltese language. BERTU AQUILINA speaks to Lara Zammit about the band and their music.

The quintet Skald describe their aim as that of “breathing life into Maltese literature and culture” with their own blend of original music. Following their debut album Kura in June 2021, the local band is set to perform at Spazju Kreattiv next week and will be playing a selection of tracks from their debut album as well as new material in a more intimate setting.

The band is formed by Bertu Aquilina, Gabriel Gauci, Simon Bezzina, Jesmar Bezzina and Aaron Debattista. Hailing from different backgrounds, they aim to amalgamate their varied skill sets into new artistic expression.

Speaking to Times of Malta about their music, Aquilina recounts how the Maltese language finds itself at the centre of Skald’s pieces, even drawing on the works of Maltese literary giants like Dun Karm Psaila and Trevor Zahra.

In fact, the band debuted in October 2017 performing adaptations of poems by Dun Karm Psaila during an event held in the late writer’s honour at the San Anton presidential palace.

From left: Jesmar Bezzina, Gabriel Gauci, Aaron Debattista, Simon Bezzina and Bertu Aquilina who form the band Skald.

“We view the Maltese language as something that creates its own unique avenue for developing memorable songs and captivating lyrics,” explains Aquilina.

“We think that the very best pieces of music are untranslatable. By that, we mean that it would be impossible to achieve the same level of beauty with the source material as when it is interpreted in its native tongue. Language is unique in its method of conveying thought-provoking sentiments. It has its own poetic undertones.

“We are all Maltese. We grew up speaking this language and we love it as it is an extension of ourselves and our identities. We want to bring forth as many musical works written in Maltese as we can... and hopefully, a lot of them will be untranslatable.”

There is a strong storytelling element to Skald’s music, which makes it particularly well suited for performances such as the recent Skaldatura at the Manoel Theatre, an online and TV concert featuring literature from Trevor Zahra, one of the most renowned authors in Malta.

The very best pieces of music are untranslatable

Speaking about from where the band draws inspiration for the stories that permeate their songs, Aquilina says that these are drawn from everywhere.

“We draw inspiration from history, the environment, personal experiences and personal observations. We have never really limited ourselves in the kind of subject matter we would want to explore in our music. We have even worked on songs that tackled political tension.

“In the meantime, we’ve also worked on a song that casually recalled the story of a random guy who got fired from his job, got fined by a traffic warden and then stumbled on his wife having an affair, all of which was retold in a humorous vibe.”

The band’s latest album Kura includes eight tracks featuring subjects that reflect everyday life, from the destruction of nature to old sayings, heartbreak and love songs, and traditional Maltese folk music. Elaborating on this album, Aquilina says that Kura, which literally means ‘medicine’, is intended as a cure for the infelicities of everyday, Maltese life.

Skald performing during a past edition of ‘Notte Bianca’ in Valletta.

“Kura is the medicine for our own issues, be it personal loss, environmental frustration or that lingering sense of forgetting the Maltese identity. We want that album to have something for people who need healing, even if they could only get it from one track.

“It doesn’t have to be a break-up or anything quite that personal. It could just be a drive that took 45 minutes longer than usual because another 12 cranes popped up in your daily commute. Like all music, Kura is 40 minutes of coping mechanisms.”

Skald is playing at Spazju Kreattiv on January 28 and 29 at 8pm, with Ċikku l-Poplu as their supporting act. For more information and for tickets, visit the Spazju Kreattiv website.