Since 1996 Northaunt is the dark ambient project of Hærleif Langås, from Trondheim, Norway. With a special focus on remoteness, melancholy and introspective moods Northaunt combines traditional dark ambient electronics with field recordings (mainly from nature in Norway), minimal acoustic melodies and samples from other cultural sources, such as the movies of Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
Northaunt's has released four full-length albums, in addition to participating in various compilations. The four albums are The Ominous Silence, Barren Land, Horizons, and the most recent Istid I-II. It's also important to note his split release with Svartsinn "The Borrowed World", to which Northaunt contributed with almost 30 minute long track.
The first two albums NORTHAUNT «The Ominous Silence» (2001) and «Barren Land» (2004) come to the Polish label Fluttering Dragon, but the relationship with Cyclic Law begins in 2002, when the project takes participation in the compilation «Nord Ambient Alliance».
In 2006 NORTHAUNT publishes his third in the discography (except for a few splits with prolific atmospheric-ambient project from Germany VINTERRIKET) and the first album on Cyclic Law «Horizons» (2006).
The latter work is somewhat different from the first two: complex multilayer structures, drones, and melancholic melodies carry the listener into the thickest Norwegian forests, mountains, fiords and rocky shores of lakes.
Musicality which was inherent in the early albums, is no longer evident and pronounced only in certain instrumental parts.Besides music, Hærleif engaged in painting and photography, and makes album covers for himself and for other projects (such as dark ambient and black-metal scene).
His exhibition of paintings was held in Trondheim, October 2007. Official website: www.northaunt.comThe man behind Northaunt is otherwise involved in Mulm, Therradaemon and The Human Voice, which too are dark ambient projects of a varyingly similar style.