Clannad star Moya Brennan has shared her ethereal vocals with a Dutch music collective for a unique album, out tomorrow.
UNIFONY is a collaborative project by Dutch musicians Minco Eggersman and Theodoor Borge, who wander off the beaten track with talented artists to give way to a new form of creativity.
UNIFONY III invited Moya Brennan to join the musical conversation, and the result is a collection of warm and hopeful compositions with northern Europe themes.
This is the first album that Moya has sung for, without actually using words.
In a world filled with words and where many seem to scream for attention, UNIFONY searches to find the contrast via instrumental music.
‘The voice of Clannad’ came over to Theodoor’s studio Klankzicht in the Netherlands to record her beautiful voice and harp.
This fact alone was something very special for both Eggersman and Borger who have both felt a deeper connection to Moya and her work since their days of youth. Moya is a very spiritual human being and understands poetry like no one else. Even though they had only met before once, it all felt very natural and just three days after their first encounter the sketches Eggersman and Borger had created earlier came to life into full blown tracks.
Minco Eggersman (winner of the Golden Calf for best soundtrack 2023) Moya Brennan (The Voice of Clannad) and Theodoor Borger
Later, by the time the world was hit by the pandemic, Nils Petter Molvaer, who had also been on their list from the start of the project, responded to the music by recording his beautiful airy trumpet-sounds in Norway. His clear and jazzy way of playing put Eggersman and Borger’s compositions in a different spotlight and his interpretations and harmonies ensured inspiration for all involved.
The result was especially good and eventually inspired Eggersman and Borger to finish album III in 2023.
Instrumental music is notoriously hard to pin-point with regard to its meaning. On this third edition in the series, the overtone of the compositions is hope, something that can be enhanced with the power of melody.
The melancholic and at the same time energetic playing of Nils Petter Molvaer contributed to the lush and more serene interpretation of Moya’s singing and harp playing. Together their (musical) voices blend into one voice on UNIFONY III.
UNIFONY III is out on 3rd November. Listen/Buy the album here: https://www.unifony.com/
