Guitarist Sönke Meinen and violinist Bjarke Falgren are releasing their second collaborative album, "The Circle." The album will be available digitally as well as on both CD and vinyl and marks the duo's debut with the label Neue Meister.
 
The story of this guitar-violin duo begins long before their first album. Sönke Meinen first encountered Bjarke Falgren's music as a child. Years later, to his delight, he had the chance to see the violinist perform live. However, due to unfortunate circumstances, only one ticket was sold for the concert — to Sönke Meinen. To avoid canceling the concert, Bjarke proposed, "Bring all your friends" Sönke didn't hesitate, and what seemed like a tour disaster turned into an unforgettable concert. This led to a great friendship and, ultimately, the successful collaboration of two accomplished musicians.
 
Both artists contribute as playful instrumentalists and creative composers to the project, mutually benefiting from their extensive experiences. Bjarke Falgren is a four-time Danish Music Awards winner, and Sönke Meinen has won numerous international competitions, including Guitar Masters and the European Guitar Awards. Moreover, Sönke Meinen has been praised by guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel as "one of the most creative guitarists on the current scene." Together, the Danish violinist and the Hamburg-based guitarist have developed their unique musical language, extracting an extensive range of tones from their instruments—from warm and gentle to powerful and percussive. The charming duo creates poetic soundscapes with their deep musicality and enviable virtuosity, moving seamlessly between folk, jazz, world, and classical music, blurring stylistic boundaries.
 
This recording includes eleven vibrant pieces that narrate encounters, experiences, and places that have impressed the duo. Each track tells a unique story, adding a narrative quality to the album. For instance, 'Falls Of Measach' (Track 8) is named after a waterfall in the Scottish Highlands that inspired Bjarke Falgren during a tour Similarly, 'Bench On The Hill' (Track 5) was composed by Sönke Meinen during the Ullapool Guitar Festival in the Highlands and is dedicated to Rich and Colleen, the festival organizers. 'Eat, Play, Sleep, Repeat' (Track 9) is an homage to Chili, Bjarke Falgren's dog, who embodies the lifestyle described in the song's title. 'The Circle' (Track 11), the album's final piece, holds special significance, encapsulating the album's message: recognize the uniqueness of encounters and let something precious grow from them. For the title track, a colorful mix of guest musicians was assembled, including Clemens Christian Poetzsch (piano), Mads Mathias (saxophone), Filip Jers (harmonica), and Jens Lysdal (slide guitar/Dobro). Instruments from around the world were used, each contributing to the album's unique sound. Chang Jing's guzheng (Chinese half-tube zither), Villads Hoffmann's Scandinavian cittern (similar to a mandola), Orhan Özgür Turan's oud (Turkish lute), and Mirwais Fedai's tablas (Indian hand drums) all add a special richness of color to the title track. The audience is invited to join in, creating the impression of a party around a campfire. The effect of being surrounded by a circle of jamming musicians is further enhanced in the digital version of the album, available in Dolby Atmos format. Sönke Meinen and Bjarke Falgren bring their music directly from the studio to the audience, inviting them to become part of the 'Circle.' It's a magical encounter one would gladly repeat.
 
1. Droplets
2. Train Home
3. Harvest Song
4. The Castellan's Waltz
5. Bench On The Hill
6. The Willow Tree
7. Critter's Carnival
8. Falls Of Measach
9. Behind The Wavy Glass
10. Eat, Play, Sleep, Repeat
11. The Circle
 
45:22 minutes