If you are the hopeless romantic sort who nevertheless confesses readily enough to a tipple of strong draught of introspective melody that somehow does not get too doom-laden and amid the bittersweetness even wins out at the end (although the jury is still out on that one), then 'Roads' a duo by Norwegian keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft here, yes, on Rhodes along with fellow countryman tenor saxophonist Håkon Kornstad (known to break into an operatic aria or two if required but not here) is for you. What is created amidst the creak, decay and rattle of keys by the pair is an outstanding, beautiful, melody formed of a soulful, almost hymnal modality, that retains our interest as the slowly meandering development of the intertwining lines seems very natural and somehow manages to reach out in a humane dialogue between these musician creators and anyone listening. The moving piece that is a dweller on the threshold of the momentously ethereal Jan Garbarek domain certainly augurs well for the rest of Wesseltoft's so-far untitled new album from which it is drawn and seems tailor-made as some sort of balm to work against the pain of these uncertain Omicron-overshadowed dark, dread, days. All in all it's an anthemic earworm equipped with a lilting, numinous, quality that you may well hate yourself for days if you don't find time to immerse yourself in its charms pausing eventually only to wonder as some sort of pathetic proxy of a consolation why on earth you did not find 'Roads' any sooner. SG