Like A Hawk And A Hacksaw before them, Portland’s Ryan Francesconi and partner Mirabai Peart have found themselves seduced by the landscapes and traditional musics of Eastern Europe. On a recent trip around Lesbos, the couple – both members of Joanna Newsom’s touring ensemble – were inspired to produce this seven-track duet. Francesconi’s versatility is sublimated by a close-miked acoustic guitar, on which he picks out clear, confident lines (especially on „Parallel Flights“ and „Pontic“), while Peart’s violn flickers between American folk and Balkan scales. Assured chamber-folk that would have sat comfortably on ECM. (Rob Young, Uncut, January 2013)