There are so many instrumental combinations that artists use to create ambient soundscapes. Some work, some don’t. Some create credible music that works, some turn into vapid, new-age-like aural wallpapers. And that does not necessarily depend on the combination of instruments but on the inventiveness of the artists involved and their ability to transform that into music that actually resonates with the listeners, instead of just creating an aural background.
Being Grammy-nominated doesn’t necessarily have to be a good sign, but both Manu Delago (handpan) and Max ZT (hammered dulcimer) not only have Grammy nominations but are recognised as innovators, able to use their instruments to create intriguing music, as they do here on their joint effort titled Deuce.
Neither of their instruments is something you would call commonplace, and while the dulcimer is a bit better known, the handpan in its basic form consists of two metal half-shells glued together, a centre tone field surrounded by a circle of at least seven tone fields on the upper side and an opening in the bottom side.
On the surface, both instruments might seem to have their limits, but then it is up to the creativity and inventiveness of the artists involved to extract the best out of them. It is not an easy process, and it took the duo some 10 years to fully develop the nine pieces presented here, starting with initial improvisations and turning them into full-blown pieces.
And it is all in the sonic layers and nuances here, with the duo being able to extract everything their instruments is able to offer.
