Choir of Young Believers' Stunning Radio Session

The folk-pop ensemble Choir of Young Believers hasn't yet made anywhere near the impression they have in American as they have in their native Denmark, where they've been nominated for six Danish Grammys. But CMJ last week, and in particular a studio session they recorded for Seattle's KEXP could be their big break in the states. KEXP host and NPR host John Richards, not normally one for hyperbole, was floored by Choir members Jannis Noya Makrigiannis and Caecilie Trier's performance at an undersized New York studio:

As the duo warmed up on cello, guitar and two mics, I could already tell that something special was about to happen. But nothing prepared me for the four songs they would perform live on KEXP.

From beginning to end, Makrigiannis' vocals were in perfect harmony with the music. It wasn't hard to compare him to Jim James of My Morning Jacket or Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes. The 10 people in the control room all fell silent with jaws dropping, and the owner of the Cutting Room and I sat there lost in the songs, trying to hold back tears from the utter beauty of what we were hearing. The smaller studio turned out to be a blessing: It picked up every bit of noise they made, from the haunting sound of Makrigiannis backing away and singing a few feet from the mic to even the slightest whisper in the words and music.

Afterward, emails came flooding in from listeners all over the world, as well as from our staff back in Seattle. We all recognized that this moment was special, and exactly why we go on the road and capture live music in the first place. In my 10 years of witnessing probably thousands of in-studio performances, this ranks up with the very best of them.

So does the duo's performance warrant that kind of myth making? Hear for yourself. You can stream or download the performance on NPR's site; the group is also scheduled for an upcoming Daytrotter session.