Frode Haltli

Norwegian Accordionist Frode Haltli has crafted an album of both cinematic beauty and experimental playfulness. Combining his accordion compositions that translate a sweeping melancholic sadness with percussive pieces and workings with voice; his album Passing Images is another of this year's stunning neo-classical triumphs. Haltli has a knack for recontextualizing traditional themes in his native folk music into a modern setting and combining this approach with a skillful ability to improvise around those themes. The music is exuberant and crushing; playful but reposed. All the sounds that wander into Haltli's life seem to be wrapped up and squeezed through the bellows in sweet sad notes that hang on the air like breath in winter. With the exception of maybe Yann Tierson, Haltli has to be one of the only people to be able to pry such emotion and soul out of the accordion, this album is a great testament to his skill.

Download:
[MP3] Frode Haltli -Jag Haver Ingen Karare
[MP3] Frode Haltli -Vals