Daniel Santiago & Pedro Martins: Simbiose

Symbiosis, referring to a mutually advantageous connection between two parties, is most certainly the proper word to sum up this duo date. Back in the summer of 2015, Brazilian guitarists Daniel Santiago and Pedro Martins took to the quiet confines of a studio in São Paulo and spun out these nine organic beauties. To hear their patient developments, gorgeously entwined lines, fluid rhythmic strumming, and wordless vocals merge from different angles is to hear life unfolding through the art of communication.

There's a marriage of gossamer grace and needlepoint focus to be found in these subdued stunners. From the dreamy "Retrato" opener, with sotto voce shadings, on through to the "Stardust"-sprinkled "Chorando E Sorrindo" closer, this duo demonstrates that mastery isn't always defined by age, and virtuosity isn't measured by how many notes you can cram into a bar. There are moments where this pair opens up its stride—on the steeplechase-esque title track, for example—but the athleticism in their hands and fingers is a natural byproduct of the music, not something that's simply flaunted. The two guitarists can impress just as easily with an open embrace like "Paz" as they can with sprinting and darting lines.

Eight of these nine numbers come from Santiago's pen, creating a consistency in language across the entire program. But the one contribution from Martins—a controlled yet wired "Refletindo," placed in the penultimate slot—also sits perfectly in the mix. Hearing that makes clear that the tonal congruence from song to song has more to do with how these two men connect than with who wrote what. Songs simply flower under the light of the synergistic spells cast by Daniel Santiago and Pedro Martins.