Harv
Must
NorthSide-US (www.noside.com) / Amigo-Sweden (www.amigo.se)

Harv is made up of two more young shining lights from a seemingly endless supply from the Nordic music revival. Magnus Stinnerbom (on fiddle, viola and flutes) and Daniel Sandén-Warg (on fiddles, moraharpa and jews harp) are both from Värmland. They get a bit of help on some tracks from Björn Tollin (percussion) and Roger Tallroth (guitar), of Hedningarna and Väsen respectively.

"Spaken"

Must focuses on the duet fiddle style, which features the intricate juxtaposition of bouncing/pulsating rhythms and melodies. The resulting all-acoustic sound is more traditional than some of their contemporary label-mates. Twelve of the 15 tracks are traditional, often learned in the style of various noted musicians and then "Harv-ified" (their term). The remaining tunes were written by Stinnerbom.

Highlights include the lush "Kvartetten (The Quartet)," the slow and haunting "Hamlet" (written for a production of the play of the same name, and designed to be played every time a major character died) and the melancholic wedding march "Brudmarsch." Also at the top of the list are a couple of lively tunes including a reinlender which is aptly described as a "disease" since it is so infectious and a set of Norwegian Gangars. "Harv" refers to a "harrow" (for leveling and tilling the soil) as well as an intense experience. This duo clearly have an intensity beyond their years. - Ivan Emke

Audio: "Spaken"(c)2000 Amigo-Sweden / Northside-US

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