Neil Spencer 

Lepisto & Lehti: Radio Moskova – review

The charming Lepistö & Lehti conjure up a range of moods with a double bass and accordion, writes Neil Spencer
  
  


The combination of accordion and double bass might seem to offer a limited musical palette, but this Finnish duo use it to beguiling effect. This follow-up to their acclaimed debut, Helsinki, is equally varied and atmospheric. Markku Lepistö's accordion borrows freely from Astor Piazzola – sinuous, nostalgic and partial to tangos such as "Skrubu" – while Pekka Lehti's stalking bass owes more to jazz tradition. The pair's folk background (in Värrtinä) also plays its part. Whether resurrecting an antique hymn ("Vasulaisten Juhlamarssi") or looking back to a childhood tuned to Russian radio ("Radio Moskova"), the spare Nordic soundscapes drift by charmingly.

 

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