The main idea behind this collaborative project was brought to light by Dakota Suite's mastermind Chris Hooson who later invited Emanuele Errante. UK based Dakota Suite are known for their beautifully tender and sad contemporary classical compositions while Italian musician Emanuele Errante is effectively blending acoustics with electronics. Yes, the main theme of 'The North Green Down' is very sad as It is dedicated to Chris and Johanna Hooson's sister-in-law, Hannah Dyke, who has died of a cancer at the age of 37 only. 18 compositions on this album, clocking to almost 80 minutes, are all centered around piano, guitar and cello with some clarinet and harmonica and little touches of electronics and field recordings (cicadas, bird calls, water sounds...) with some hiss here and there. Except Chris and Emanuele, other virtuoso appearances include Grammy Award winner David Darling on cello, Colin Dunkley on piano and cello and Johanna Hooson on clarinet. the textures are quite minimal, but precisely detailed with enormous emotional and melancholic impact. Album title and main theme, 'The North Green Down', appears in 6 slightly different, but rich and highly evocative and nostalgic variations. the last epilogue, Part VII is similar with intro Part I version. Few compositions like 'A Hymn to Haruki Murakami', 'Nobody is Ever Safe' and 'A Worn out Life' showcase masterful performance on acoustic guitar by Chris Hooson. There is also a cello version of 'A Worn out Life', David Darling's cello is marvellously expressive and mournful, just like on 'They Could Feel the End of all Things' as well as on Part VI of 'The North Green Down'. Cinematic 'Away from this Silence' and 'A Loveless Moment' are another beauties or the more electro/ambient oriented 'No Greater Pain'. Two pieces have Dutch titles, deeply touching 'Leegte' and 'Wat we Kwijt Zijn' and one Italian, 'Le Viti Del Mondo'. Even if the main theme is very sad and painful, the music on 'The North Green Down' is absolutely wonderful, warm, deep and graceful and must be as much beautiful as was the person of Hannah, but also as much fragile as are our lives. this Album arrived to me from Emanuele only Few hours after I found out that my very good friend passed away after long battle with cancer at the age of 36 only...
Richard Grtler (Bratislava, Slovakia)
See all reviews
Top reviews from other countries