A collaboration with cellist Tara Franks. an ever evolving musical partnership and deep friendship forged over ten years. Balladeste string duo co-creates all original compositions, with three acclaimed albums to date as well as a Reworks EP (reworks of selected tracks from 2nd album ‘Beyond Breath’ by Vernon Spring, Midori Hirano, Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres & Anna Phoebe). Improvisation is the backbone of our shared practice- which we draw on both in the process of composition and largely in performance. Since the success of our second album ‘Beyond Breath’ (4* Songlines), we have been interviewed on BBC Radio 3 InTune, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, Soho Radio with Max Reinhardt and had tracks featured on BBC Radio 3 Night Tracks, Late Junction, Saturday morning with Elizabeth Alker and theme music BBC Radio 4 ‘Book of the week’.

We recently released ‘Difficult Loves’ - a song cycle collaboratively written with dear friend and singer-songwriter Ana Silvera. Listen HERE

The collection of songs explores the many faces of love - from the revelation of romantic connection to the bonds of familial devotion; and from the ecstatic contemplation of the natural world into dark echoes of love’s more troubled shadows and loss.

We also have a new duo album out November 5th!! Album Launch Live at Stone Nest- Tickets here.

For more info: www.balladeste.co.uk | @balladeste | Spotify

"...an extraordinary and beautiful listening experience" Folk Radio UK

‘Narayanan’s and Franks’s collaboration is pure magic… Beyond Breath is musically speaking, by far their greatest achievement to date. There is nothing remotely quite like it’ BackSeat Mafia