Dreamers’ Circus – Rooftop Sessions
Vertical Records – 22 June 2018
Recently Folk Radio premiered the video for Then We Waltzed, from Danish/Swedish trio Dreamers’ Circus. As that article explained, we first encountered this remarkably talented trio entirely by accident at Celtic Connections. Aside from the quite dazzlingly impressive musicianship they displayed, it was the way that they managed to stay firmly rooted in Scandinavian folk and classical music while, at the same, refusing to be restricted by it, that made their performance so memorable.
Dreamers’ Circus, Nikolaj Busk (piano, accordion) Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen (violin) and Ale Carr (cittern), have previously released two albums in Europe. Their third album, Rooftop Sessions, sees the band enjoy a worldwide release at last. The album itself matches this extending of their horizons, with a collection of self-written instrumental pieces that move a few degrees more towards the conceptual; in a series of intricate musical narratives on the spaces that provide respite from an ever more demanding and fast-paced world.
The unmistakeably Scandinavian City Gardens opens the album at an exquisite pace; lively, but unhurried, and with an intensity that ebbs and flows towards a soft, extended departure. Kitchen Stories is brisker and offers more adventure, putting the listener in mind of Lau with a Nordic twist. This comes through, not only in the accordion and violin combination but in the rhythm, the tempo changes, the peaks and troughs. Beyond that, there’s a Bach-inspired violin that climbs exultantly and sings as clear as a bird.
The pace is often more moderate, and the mood more earnest. The mysterious and ethereal opening of Foreseen leads to a piercing cry on the wind and a heart-rending lament with a Romany soul. The equally sombre opening of Meanwhile is soon sweetened by a poetic violin. Although Opus 2, 5 seems to draw on the trio’s classical background more than any other track, there are touches of mystery in there too; among the graceful piano, the soft strings and the more intense conclusion that leads to the short, dream-like Draft. Mormor (Grandmother) is a soft, stately dance with a mysterious twinkle in its eye. There’s a definite sense of adventure in this music that’s reflected in the wide range of instruments used by the trio. Bass drum, vibes, and even a toy piano (among many others) all find their place in this extensive soundscape.
Rooftop Sessions Part 1 and Part 2 seem to epitomize the album and, indeed, the band themselves. Part 1 opens with piano, violin, cittern in a typical Dreamers’ Circus ensemble setting. There’s a latent energy that stirs softly until piano starts to follow a slow, diving spiral into dark storm clouds with ever increasing tension. Part 2 brings soft rainfall, a far, but persistent, rumble of thunder, and distant birds seen against dark clouds. To close the album, Afterwards is like a clearing of the air as the sun rises.
This is music that paints images in your mind, that fires the imagination. There’s no doubt that Rooftop Sessions is far more thought-provoking than the trio’s previous, thoroughly impressive, releases. As well as finding those quiet moments our souls seek out in a hectic world; with Rooftop Sessions Dreamers’ Circus celebrate more than the colour and vibrancy of Scandinavian music, they celebrate the ability it has to drive inspiration and innovation, and place themselves firmly in the vanguard of that movement.