Thelen, Stephan: Fractal Guitar 2

It’s easy to get lost in the perpetual grooves, sound effects, and atmospheres you’ll explore listening to Fractal Guitar 2. I’ve sat back and tried to absorb this while passively listening, which you can often do with this type of music, but it really drew me in and demanded more attention. You will find an undercurrent of sounds that can capture your ear as easily as the more upfront sections of the music. Thelen is accompanied by some great players such as Markus Reuter (who also co-produced), David Torn, Henry Kaiser and Barry Cleveland, to name a few. To quote Thelen:

“Because of the pandemic, the album was created almost entirely during the lockdown. I would start with an odd meter groove and add textures, guitar parts, and keyboard patterns. Then, I would send the groove out to various collaborators and slowly the pieces started to take shape. The next step was recording drums in a studio where the complex polyrhythmic grooves were brought to life�. A very interesting approach, but one made out of necessity and it works.

Thelen describes his approach called “Fractal Guitar�
“ using a rhythmic delay with a very high feedback level that creates cascading delay patterns in odd time signatures such as 3/8, 5/8 or 7/8. The other desire I had was to work with and to have some serious fun with a few of the many great guitarists I've met over the years to create an album that features some of the more forward-looking possibilities of the most mysterious, compelling and eclectic of all instruments, the electric guitar. �

I’m not sure you need much more to entice you if you are a guitar lover than the two quotes from Mr. Thelen above, but I will still try to coax you to climb onboard. “Cosmic Krautrock� opens with a trance inducing pulse as a solid keyboard motif and foundation are set. The sonic adventure begins as layers of sound are created and different soloists take turns playing over the top. There are so many nuances and sounds, this is great headphones listening. This is just a massive sounding track, so rich and full. The title track gets a bit into that 80’s era King Crimson, but more ethereal and spacey. Each track will draw you in with the lush arrangements, carefully layered sounds, the music floats, and yet has an intensity that bursts through. I could go on and on about each track, but you just need to listen for yourself, it’s a rewarding and unique sonic experience.

Track Listing
1) Cosmic Krautrock (14:06)
2) Fractal Guitar 2 (7:53)
3) Mercury Transit (12:03)
5) Celestial Navigation (12:27)
6) Point of Inflection (12:13)

Added: January 23rd 2022
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Related Link: Artists @ Bandcamp
Hits: 990
Language: english

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