Den Store Sommer
Gailileo, 2024
8/10
The 2nd album from the Denmark artists Helene Blum and Harald Haugaard, the 12 songs here unfold with Nordic folk ideas that don’t shy way from dark melancholy, too.
“Velkommen Her” starts the listen with Blum’s gorgeous voice alongside Haugaard’s subime violin and Christoffer Moller’s graceful keys for the expressive climate, and “Sander” follows with emphasis on the firm violin, as Mikkel Grue’s skilled dobro complements the fluid delivery.
Halfway through, “Den Store Sommer” benefits much from Tapani Varis’ agile double bass and Suine Rahbek’s well timed percussion, as Haugaard’s fiddle acrobatics don’t disappoint, while “The Garden” brings back Blum’s poetic singing alongside Kirstine Elise Pedersen’s sophisticated cello and backing vocals for the album’s best.
Nearing the end, “Mosen” recruits vocals from Blum, Haugaard and Pedersen for the dreamy, rich landscape, and “Sov Sodt. Du Lille Sonja” exits with just Blum’s distinct pipes and Haugaard’s bare but impactful violin emitting much beauty.
A listen that thematically surrounds summer, Blum, Haugaard and their esteemed help make for thoughtful, timeless and textured folk from their part of the world that will resonate globally and indefinitely.
Travels well with: Esbe- La Serenissima; Roopa Panesar- ATMA