'The North Green Down’ was conceived when Dakota Suite founder Chris Hooson was on a holiday with his soon-to-be departed sister-in-law. The realization that those were the final moments he could spend with her brought a flood of inspiration for songs, which eventually wound up as this epic tribute. Here Hooson is accompanied by regular Dakota Suite collaborator David Darling and Emanuele Errante, who appeared on Hooson’s radar after contributing to the Dakota Suite remix album last year. Errante takes the fragile songs and adds a light dusting of subtle electronic treatment. His signature is present but treated with the utmost care and attention to detail. I think with music this personal, and this poignant it’s hard for any collaborator to get the balance absolutely right, but somehow Errante’s restraint is his success here, and the result is impressive. It would be hard to describe an album such as this as ‘enjoyable’ in the classic sense, but its deep, involving and truly honest melancholy is totally enveloping. Hooson is steadfast in his emotion and resolve, and the album is one of the most defining statements I’ve heard from him to date. A difficult but rewarding experience, ‘The North Green Down’ is sure to appeal to followers of Goldmund, Max Richter and Johann Johannsson, but the added context of this album gives it a real poignancy. Recommended. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.