For a guitar and fiddle duo, Morten Alfred Høirup and Harald Haugaard create a very full, lush sound. It helps, of course, that the fiddler is one of the world’s finest and that the guitarist is a superb accompanist, but that doesn’t diminish what they’ve created here. They kick things off with “Middag I Haven,” where the melody flies gracefully, culminating in some stratospheric fiddle playing that rounds off a delicious evocation of summer. Summer is indeed the motif here, light and colorful, as with the following title cut, a traditional song of the season. Høirup might not be the world’s greatest singer technically, but he has a good touch that sells the emotion and warmth of the piece. Haugaard & Høirup mix original and traditional music throughout, with the emphasis more on their own work. The interplay and empathy between them is smooth and sophisticated, gentle and melodic with “Mary Lea’s Waltz” and full of memory and ache on “Underlige Aftenlufte.” It’s a huge compliment to Høirup to note that he’s often so subtle that you don’t realize exactly how much he adds to the tunes. Even the picking behind “Annis Aria” is the perfect complement to a simple melody, while Haugaard is just as easily commanding, with breathtaking fluency and tone. This is Haugaard & Høirup at their best, and a beautiful album for a summer’s day — or even to bring some warmth to winter. – Chris Nickson
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