Spirit suggests a rare meeting between the Danish contemporary, experimental string trio Halvcirkel – violist Mika Persdotter, violinist Bettina Marie Ezaki, and cellist Nicole Hogstrand – and fellow Danish explorer of New Ondomo, a modern Japanese adaptation of the vintage French electronic instrument, Ondes Martenot, and experimental electronics player-composer Anders Lauge Meldgaard. This album expands a previous collaboration of Halvcirkel and Meldgaard, Fragment 94 (År & Dag, 2021), that offers a re-written version of a text by Archaic Greek poet Sappho delivered by Mette Moestrup. It solidifies the creative partnership that began in 2016 during some concerts with Meldgaard’s project Frisk Frugt, when Halvcirkel and Meldgaard shared the stage for the first time.
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The collaborative work of Halvcirkel and Meldgaard took a unique turn on Spirit after Halvcirkel’s violinist Pernille Kristiansen went on parental leave, just when Halvcirkel was preparing to perform a string quartet composed by Meldgaard specifically for the string ensemble. Viola player Mika Persdotter suggested inviting Meldgaard himself to step in, performing the violin part on the New Ondomo. Meldgaard enthusiastically embraced the opportunity, leading to an inspiring reimagining of their work.
The eight pieces of Spirit, including an instrumental revisit of Fragment 94, suggest a playful yet intricate interplay between Halvcirkel’s acoustic string trio and Meldgaard’s vintage electronic sounds, samples and Eurorack modular synth setup. The notated melodic veins of Meldgaard sound as if mutated, twisted and gently caressed by his subtle interventions, often flirting with spirited abstractions of pop songs or Nordic folk traditions, and radiating a strong, life-affirming and optimistic atmosphere. Halvcirkel and Meldgaard’s deep affinity, their deep affinity and conversational playfulness make Spirit a captivating work that defies traditional genre boundaries as well as common concepts about vintage, contemporary and experimental.
Eyal Hareuveni
Bettina Marie Ezaki (violin), Mika Persdotter (viola), Nicole Hogstrand (cello), Anders Lauge Meldgaard (Ondomo, electronics)
