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Thomas Gunillasson: Glashus

By Eyal Hareuveni
May 15, 2014
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The musical career of Swedish, V?ster?s-based guitarist Thomas Gunillasson flirts with early influences of Nordic metal bands and later sophistication of improvising jazz outfits and left-of-center rock outfits. Gunillasson plays in fellow Swede, and avant-garde vocalist Lindha Kallerdahl's GOLD band, co-leads the quartet Thymeshift with drummer Johan Bj?rklund and leads the trio Les Pickadoles with ex- Zappa band drummer Morgan ?gren, known also from his

Mats/Morgan Band

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Mats/Morgan Band, and bassist Gustaf Hielm, a former member of the Swedish metal band Meshugga.

Gunillasson's debut album as a leader features original tunes written over a five year period. He is accompanied by two members of Thymeshift—drummer Bj?rklund and reeds player

Thomas Backman

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Thomas Backman, and bassist Johannes Lundberg. Gunillassson's tunes meld the driving, aggressive sound of metal with virtuoso, atmospheric guitar pyrotechnics and sampled beats that reference the experiments of Radiohead and

Björk

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Bj?rk.

This encompassing aesthetic works best when Gunillasson's impressive technique is submitted to touches of lyrical melancholy and fragility, as on the infectious "K?lden" and "Skisser Fr?n Rosarve." Imaginative command of the guitar enables him to adapt organically to a heavy, fierce metal attack on a cinematic, Western-movie desert on "V?rstenar." On "Darsi" Gunillasson employs atmospheric sounds to create an exotic-meditative environment. On "Stephep Guitars" he frames the aggressive onslaught within a playfully addictive rhythmic setting. The last piece, "Polar Guitar," is the most beautiful. Gunillasson plays solo using various effects to weave a touching texture that lingers in mind long after it ends.

An impressive debut.

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Track Listing

Ett Slags D?rifr?n; F?rjan ?ver Sundet; K?lden;V?rstenar; Spoairu; Stephep Guitars; Glashus; Darsi; Skisser Fr?n Rosarve; Polar Guitar.

Personnel

Thomas Gunillasson

Thomas Gunillasson: guitars, keyboard, voice, programming; Thomas Backman: saxophone, clarinet; Johannes Lundberg: bass; Johan Bj?rklund: drums, percussion.

Album information

Title: Glashus | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: BoogiePost Recordings

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