In these sombre times, coloured with dull grey and filled with artificial joyousness, two musicians bring us light and with it warmth and regeneration. In a time when Utopia seems to be losing it’s voice, two men have decided to stand and bestow wonder onto life once more. Such is the offering that André Da Silva and Nico Algans present us with.
The Duo is a venture that takes courage to undertake and the partnering of a guitar with a trumpet is especially adventurous and largely unexplored. These two have also shown the bravery to navigate passionate art without enclosing themselves in a cubicle of mundane safety or being lured onto the rocks of frivolity. They have created a sound, which is in fact something rare and precious. How does one create his own sound? It is not only, as one might think, a question of tone although it is of course essential. Writing is part of it ( cf. subtle arrangement of songs such as “Banc public” and “Alone Together” thus becoming both familiar and novel to the ear), as is creating a personal space for improvisation, a distinct rhythmic movement and an astute sense of melody. Spontaneous alchemy, between André Da Silva and Nico Algans as given birth to this unique sound, their own sound, their autonomous subjective creativity, we could call it, displaying their existential values and their aspirations.
The music of this duo is full of aspiration. The pure ambition to create without any concern save that of being in the moment in the “Good morning” triptych. The enthused improvisational outpourings who seem to discover their own way even as they pave it (beautiful solos by the trumpet on “A Child is Born” and by the guitar on “ Wild Flower”). The itch to move, to dance, to feel and simply to live seems to fuel André Da Silva’s reinvention of brazilian rhythms.
“Direct”, “Honest”, “Assertive”, “Proud” “Masculine”…. These are some of the words that come to mind when attempting to describe the depths of this music. Despite the veneer of simplicity, no corners where cut in the making of something fresh and refined, brought to us by this duo of true artists.

Ludovic FLORIN