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Stephan Thelen: Fractal Guitar 3

By Mark Sullivan
January 12, 2023
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Guitarist/composer

Stephan Thelen

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Stephan Thelen presents the third installment of his Fractal Guitar series. Like the previous albums, the emphasis is on multiple guitars, layered in kaleidoscopic arrangements based on his compositions and guitar playing, but significantly colored by the contributions of his collaborators. This edition was also influenced by the other albums that he was working on simultaneously: Transneptunian Planets with

J. Peter Schwalm

electronics

" data-original-title="" title="">J. Peter Schwalm,

Eivind Aarset

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Eivind Aarset,

Tim Harries

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Harries and

Manuel Pasquinelli

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Manuel Pasquinelli (RareNoiseRecords, 2022); Fractal Sextet with

Jon Durant

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Durant,

Fabio Anile

keyboards
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Fabio Anile,

Colin Edwin

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Colin Edwin,

Andi Pupato

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Andi Pupato and

Yogev Gabay

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Yogev Gabay (Alchemy Records, 2022); and Music for Piano and Strings (Self Produced, 2023), an album of piano quintets and string quartets with compositions by Anile and Thelen. These concurrent projects provided both musical ideas and new players to add to the Fractal Guitar talent pool.

"Through The Stargate" opens the album with significant contributions from guitarist

Eivind Aarset

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Eivind Aarset, a new Fractal Guitar guest who is also credited as a co-composer. After a solo full of ebow, effects and noises he plays foundational melodic lines.

Markus Reuter

guitar, electric
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Markus Reuter's touch-guitar solos next, using overdrive and moving from ruminative to explosive. In contrast,

Jon Durant

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Durant's fretless guitar solo begins screaming before slipping into a more contemplative mode. The long final coda showcases Middle Eastern-sounding Aarset guitar lines (evoking trumpeter

Jon Hassell

trumpet
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Hassell), plus

Fabio Anile

keyboards
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Fabio Anile's atmospheric keyboards. The whole thing ends with more than two minutes of atmospheric synthesizer music: a beautiful pause in the polyrhythmic action.

"Morning Star" is a return to more typical fare, adding regular contributor

Bill Walker

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Walker on several unique guitar sounds.

Tim Harries

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Harries joins on bass guitar (along with touch guitarist

Stefan Huth

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Stefan Huth, returning from the previous album). Both of these tracks include exciting playing by drummer

Yogev Gabay

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Yogev Gabay from the Fractal Sextet. "Ascension" introduces

J. Peter Schwalm

electronics

" data-original-title="" title="">J. Peter Schwalm (playing synthesizer and electronic percussion), with more solos from Aarset, Reuter and Durant. Reuter and Schwalm are credited as co-composers. "Black On Electric Blue" brings guitarist

Barry Cleveland

guitar, electric
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Barry Cleveland back into the fold. He mainly contributes soundscaping, along with Reuter. Solo lines by Aarset and Reuter periodically emerge from the fog.

The final bonus track is a mix and edit of "Through The Stargate" by J. Peter Schwalm, focusing on Aarset's parts. In its shorter run time, it suggests the form of the full track while simultaneously showcasing the guitarist's distinctive sounds. A fitting end to a thrilling installment in what is proving to be a very consistent series, each unified by Thelen's distinctive rhythmic compositional style while also offering a unique mix of musicians old and new.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Through The Stargate; Morning Star; Glitch; Ascension; Black On Electric Blue; Through The Stargate (Edit).

Personnel

Stephan Thelen

guitar, electric

Eivind Aarset

guitar

Markus Reuter

guitar, electric

Jon Durant

guitar, electric

Bill Walker

guitar, electric

Barry Cleveland

guitar, electric

Fabio Anile

keyboards

J. Peter Schwalm

electronics

Stefan Huth

guitar, electric

Tim Harries

bass

Andi Pupato

percussion

Yogev Gabay

drums

Manuel Pasquinelli

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Stephan Thelen: electric guitar, fractal guitar, electric piano, synthesizer, organ, strings, mellotron, programming; Eivind Aarset: electric guitar, tremolo guitar, e-bow, effects, noise orchestra, glitches, glitchy digitalia; Markus Reuter: touch guitar U8, soundscapes, spanky loop; Jon Durant: guitar,fretless guitar, clouds; Bill Walker: glitchy strat, yinyang guitar, koto guitar; Barry Cleveland: bowed cymbals and guitars, guitar, psychedelic soundscapes and effects; Fabio Anile: electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer; J. Peter Schwalm: synthesizer, electronic percussion; Stefan Huth: touch guitar U8 (bass); Tim Harries: bass guitar; Andi Pupato: percussion; Yogev Gabay: drums; Manuel Pasquinelli: drums.

Album information

Title: Fractal Guitar 3 | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: MoonJune Records

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