Lifelover is a début recording of a Hungarian Duo for the Berlin based Traumton label, but they are both far from being débutantes. Veronica has other 4 albums on her account on which all Bálint was present, so they know each other at least seven years. That would explain to me this incredible synergy present all the time during this session. Balint has an impressive collection of 14 different projects he took a part of. Worth mentioning given the fact they are not well recognised artists yet.
But they truly deserve to be. Listening to them makes you think about a few other duos being around with a similar approach ,like Ulf Wakenius – Youn Sun Nah or Joy Williams and John Paul White of The Civil Wars. Similar doesn’t mean the same. But this comparison is giving a good imagination about Veronica’s vocal capabilities and the sonic artillery she is keeping under her command.
It’s a lot to listen and even more to write about. She understands expression in vast and total way. Her voice has enormous capacity. And also incredible rich collection of shades and tonal palettes which she knows very well how to use . That’s where she remains me Youn.
Everything she spots and classifies to be useful is used immediately to make an effort best possible. She sings , talks and mono-declaims. She squeaks, sighs and breaths. The fact she scats perfectly seems to be just obvious on this wide picture.
The way she employees emotions into her stories using her girlish timbre of the voice with a bit of a harsh vibrato is just enough to fall in love.On contrary the minor full-blooded tone of feminine power she is capable to drag out to dominate you and put a spell all over your head. If you add her cat walk appearance to the image you can see all the weapon.
Getting back to Balint, as I said it before, the synergy between them is almost organic. He blends with her like they were a single organism every moment. It says itself a lot about his skills, sensitivity and tremendous musicality already. His ability to disappear completely and at the same time being all the time present is a gift which only best accompanists posses. As he really IS one of them. Like Mal Waldron , Joe Pass, Lester Young or Louis Armstrong. Purely it is not about the instrument .
The gift to make music sounding in such an unforced and natural way is really unique and special. And power to stay behind and curbing an own ego for the best showing of his great maturity. Mind that I haven’t put a single word here about the songs. Neither the titles. That is for the reason. You have to go there and listen to them. There is no way out. No rat-runs. This is the Great Music at its BEST and definitely one of the greatest recordings I came across this year. The God’s sparkle. Check it out – it’s the Lifelover.
You can buy this music here.