The Norwegian reeds/piano duo of Eyolf Dale and André Roligheten began in their mid-teens (as the successfully globetrotting Albatrosh), and the evidence of a slowly-incubated empathy glimmers throughout this low-lit, melodious, and unexpectedly captivating set. Dale has said that the pair's current aim is to “make the music transparent and bare”, but though that much is unmistakeable, the playing is far from minimal or austere. While the opening ‘First Clue’ implies a faintly generic north-Euro jazz sound in its wistfully ascending and vaporous tenor theme and quietly pulsing low piano punctuation, Dale's discreet unveiling of his palette of birdlike hoots and fluttering trills soon indicates deeper resonances – the Under Milk Wood-era understanding of the late Bobby Wellins and Stan Tracey even came to this writer's mind. ‘Just Woke Up’ imaginatively floats a tremulous, wearily-slewing clarinet melody over a rocking left-hand piano groove, ‘Take Me Home’ has a haunting, small-hours mournfulness. ‘Reflection’ opens on a repeating tenor note that releases a classically-elegant Roligheten solo before a rougher passage of pumping chords and sax multiphonics, ‘Celestial Bodies’ is a contemporary update on jazz-ballad symmetries; ‘Moon Jogger’ a catchy ostinato-hooked jaunt on which Dale gently advances from deep, bleary tenor sounds to silvery, glittering quivers. Departure chronicles a close relationship getting closer.