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Stephan Thelen: Fractal Guitar 2

By Mark Sullivan
April 25, 2021
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Guitarist and composer Stephan Thelen's Fractal Guitar (MoonJune Records, 2018) found him stepping outside of his role in the band

Sonar

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonar in a big way. An absolute feast of multiple guitars with electronic effects, live looping and soundscaping, it also featured a star-studded group of guest guitarists (not to mention a grooving rhythm section). The good news is that almost all of them are back for the second installment, along with some new friends. The original album was largely created via file sharing, a process ideally suited to pandemic conditions. So, in that sense, the procedure was surprisingly similar to the first album; if anything this one is a bit more "live" in that one track was partially recorded by a core group of musicians in a room (back in the halcyon days of November 2019).

"Cosmic Krautrock" opens the set with a familiar odd-meter groove. New drummer

Andy Brugger

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Brugger (who alternates with Thelen's Sonar band mate

Manuel Pasquinelli

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Manuel Pasquinelli) is joined in the rhythm section by new touch-guitar U8 player

Stefan Huth

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Stefan Huth on bass, along with percussionist

Andi Pupato

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Andi Pupato. Pupato played on one track on the first album, but here he plays on all of the tracks, providing significant rhythmic continuity to the group sound. Solo highlights include

Markus Reuter

guitar, electric
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Markus Reuter's heavily processed touch guitar,

Jon Durant

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Durant's blast of high energy guitar, Pupato's atmospheric percussion interlude (over soundscapes and feedback guitar), and

Bill Walker

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Walker's final psychedelic guitar solo.

The title tune, of course, features Thelen's fractal guitar (a rhythmic delay that creates cascading delay patterns), as well as Reuter's glitchy touch guitar,

Barry Cleveland

guitar, electric
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Barry Cleveland's melodic 12-string guitar, and the first of several striking Durant fretless guitar solos. "Mercury Transit" is marked by quite a bit of solo space for the composer, first in the opening section (with Cleveland's bowed guitar and keyboardist

Fabio Anile

keyboards
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Fabio Anile, a new recruit), then with e-bow. "Ladder To The Stars" is built upon Anile's striking 11/8 bass line, played by

Andy West

bass, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy West. This is the track built upon a live session, with West,

Chris Muir

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Muir's electric guitar and live looping, Thelen's electric guitar, and guitarist

Henry Kaiser

guitar
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Kaiser (who plays a wild glitched solo near the end). "Point Of Inflection" closes the album with Cleveland as co-composer (also playing bowed guitar, a memorably melodic solo, and a lovely fuzz guitar ensemble), and no less than three

David Torn

guitar, electric
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">David Torn solos.

Once again, Thelen and his collaborators have crafted a banquet of odd-meter grooves (which always feel completely natural) and guitars, guitars, guitars! Enthusiastically recommended to fans of the first installment. Thelen has mentioned a number of contributions that will appear in the remix version— something to look forward to.

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Track Listing

Cosmic Krautrock; Fractal Guitar 2; Mercury Transit; Ladder To The Stars; Celestial Navigation; Point Of Inflection.

Personnel

Stephan Thelen

guitar, electric

David Torn

guitar, electric

Markus Reuter

guitar, electric

Henry Kaiser

guitar

Jon Durant

guitar, electric

Bill Walker

guitar, electric

Barry Cleveland

guitar, electric

Chris Muir

guitar, electric

Fabio Anile

keyboards

Stefan Huth

guitar, electric

Andy West

bass, electric

Andi Pupato

percussion

Manuel Pasquinelli

drums

Andy Brugger

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Stephan Thelen: electric guitar, choppy organ, granular synth, programming, fractal guitar, e-bow, keyboards; David Torn: electric guitar, live looping; Markus Reuter: touch guitar U8, soundscapes; Henry Kaiser: electric guitar; Jon Durant: electric guitar, cloud guitar, fretless guitar, VCS3 guitar: Bill Walker: electric guitar, live looping, lap steel; Barry Cleveland: 6 & 12-string guitar, bowed guitar, Revox loops; Chris Muir: electric guitar, live looping; Fabio Anile: keyboards, electric piano; Stefan Huth: touch guitar U8 (bass); Andy West: bass guitar; Andi Pupato: percussion; Manuel Pasquinelli: drums; Andy Brugger: drums.

Album information

Title: Fractal Guitar 2 | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: MoonJune Records

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