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Reviewed by Stu Edwards

In2strings: Self-titled

Reviewed by Stu Edwards

In2strings: Self-titled

Kiwi born violin virtuoso Nick Jones teams with Pretoria native Petrus Fourie to make up the instrumental duo In2strings. Their debut album is a collection of mainstream pop classics arranged with the original integrity of each song retained. The blend of acoustic guitar and violin works well, with the rich timbre of Jones’ violin well-supported by Fourie’s confident and dynamic guitar playing. While the predictable song choices of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and Clapton’s Tears In Heaven feature, the duo avoid being pigeon-holed with a wide variation of complementing tracks such as Kings Of Leon’s Use Somebody, John Mayer’s Why Georgia and the unexpected One Republic track I Lived, which is delivered with vibrant enthusiasm. Other songs of note include The Goo Goo Dolls’ Iris and Wild Mountain Thyme previously covered by Mark Knopfler. Both musicians’ musically educated background is apparent in their performances with an assured and dynamic delivery across all songs. While Jones’ playing approaches the melodies from an angle of accuracy, there is certainly elements of interpretation in his playing which enhance the songs throughout. Recorded at Devonport studio The Depot, with Dave Rhodes engineering, the production and mixing credits sit with The Sound Room another local studio. The result is a polished and engaging addition to the NZ easy listening catalogue.