Beyond Breath - The celebrated 2nd album by string duo Balladeste
"absolutely stunning" Anita Rani BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour
Balladeste released their much anticipated sophomore album this October 2021. A reflective collection of new compositions taking inspiration from a set of Indian devotional songs from the Sathya Sai lineage.
Beyond Breath captures a stillness and contemplative quality, never undermining the attention to detail and intricacy of the instrumental songwriting. Part song, part narrative, part modal imagery, the devotional melodies weave their way through the album, fragmented, played in their entirety, re-invented and interspersed with original reflective responses.
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS:
"Absolutely stunning" BBC Radio 4 - Anita Rani (Woman's Hour)
"Cinematographers looking for music that can radiate suspense but at the same time is warm and intimate ... then look no further" Songlines 4****
“defies easy definition...very very special indeed” BBC Radio 3 -Katie Derham (In Tune)
"...an extraordinary and beautiful listening experience" Folk Radio UK
"...by far their greatest achievement to date. There is nothing remotely quite like it. Each of the songs celebrate a moment in time, inviting the listener to their own meditative world, their celebration of female hood and oneness. Their musical virtuosity is just mind blowing, but more impressive is the authenticity of sentimental intelligence" BackSeat Mafia
Interview on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour - Listen Back
RADIO HIGHLIGHTS:
Soho Radio interview with Max Reinhardt - full interview - 12th November
BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour live interview and album tracks played - Sai Ram & River - 20th August
BBC Radio 3 Live session - In Tune - 1st July (3 tracks played live - Dina Dukhio, Sai Ram and Through the fields from 1st album)
BBC Radio 3 - Breakfast show (Elizabeth Alker) - Album track preview played - Beyond Breath - 10th July - Night Tracks (Sara Mohr-Pietsch) 20th December.
Spotify editorial playlist ' Classical New Releases' - 2 weeks running (September/October) - featuring 'Sai Ram' & 'Beyond Breath'
Also played on: BBC Radio 4 - The Amur River, Dutch NPR Radio 4, Scala Radio with Alexis Ffrench, Soho Radio with Anna Phoboe and DJ Ritu.
Biography
Balladeste are paving the way for an emerging new genre of Contemporary Classical meets Folk in its broadest form - Indo-Baroque meets alt-folk minimalism.
A collaboration between violinist Preetha Narayanan and cellist Tara Franks - an ever evolving musical partnership and deep friendship forged over ten years, Balladeste have developed a unique way of writing, weaving in and out of each other’s voices as musicians and composers. Exploring the versatility and sound potential of just two string instruments, Balladeste create a musical narrative that is both ancient yet contemporary, devotional whilst pastoral, with original compositions that are vibrant, experimental, melodic and contemplative in quality - Songs without words with contemporary alt-folk twist.
Drawing on influences as far ranging as the singular melodies of visionary Hildegard of Bingham, the modal minimalism of Arvo Pärt, harmonic palette of Purcell via the minimalism of Philip Glass, Balladeste's musical breadth is equally akin to the likes of Caroline Shaw and Liam Byrne as the Madras String quartet and Silk Road Ensemble.
Track by Track
Single 1 :Dina Dukhio - Balladeste takes the raga-based devotional melody Dina Dukhio ( in essence translating as ‘overcoming sorrow’) as a starting point for this mournful yet expansive composition. Showcasing the breadth of Balladeste’s sound world, from the contained almost basso continuo-like intro leading into the sole appearance of vocals, onto a rich harmonic palette supporting the emergence of the violin melody, Dina Dukhio is a journey in itself.
"Their long notes are gentle and caressing, and those warm tones immediately set you at ease. However, this is just the prelude, for their vocals totally transform the piece...it is quite an extraordinary and beautiful listening experience… like forest-bathing without leaving your chair. This will leave you wanting more" Folk Radio UK
"Partiswara’ and the vocal delight ‘ Dina Dukhio’ work as a pair, harmonically. Franks displays such a vocal quality to her cello sound, whilst Narayanan answers with a string timbre that could only be described as ethereal. It serves well as a prelude to ‘Dina Dukhio’, where we are treated to a snippet of vocal ragga from both singers, something which I hope to hear more from in their next project!" BackSeat Mafia
Single 2: River - River (Ishwara Nandana) encapsulates a melding of sounds and cultural experiences - Indian devotional meets English pastoral - traditional, devotional, classical. Where one voice ends, the other begins — melody and accompaniment passed between violin and cello, the interweaving lines and a sense of motion and dialogue reminiscent of a string quartet.
Featured on BBC Radio 4 - The Amur River
Single 3: Sai Ram - A song without words, keeping the purity of the original devotional melody in its full form whilst re-inventing its spirit by setting it on top of a folk-inspired lilting chord progression - the additional banjo played by Producer Fred Thomas adding texture to the cello’s driving bass harmony.
Featured on BBC Radio 4, Dutch NPR 4, Scala Radio, Soho Radio.
“Dazzling musicianship and transportive melodies” The Nest Collective
“bewitching alt-folk-meets-classical“ Orchestra of the Age Enlightenment’s Night Shift series