There are still plenty of ideas to explore through the electric guitar, as these recent releases from Moon June Records testify.
Two better known axe players, Markus Reuter from Stick Men and Mark Wingfield team up with Yaron Stavi/b and Asaf Sirkis/dr to create six songs that are admittedly “recorded live in the studio with no overdubs.” Completely improvised with no rehearsals, the four gents put together some exciting music that feels structured with melody and yet has a surfeit of exciting improvisations and climaxes. Reuter plays the “TouchGuitar AU8” , but it’s hard to tell how much of the music is due to the instrument or the artist. There are songs that include spacious and spacey atmospheres as on “Rush” or “Fjords de Catalunya,” but the mist eventually lifts from searing guitar solos, duos and raucous crying of strings. A rock steady “Four Moons” has the guitars going on electronic journeys that are more for creating moods than showing off chops, while “Tarasque” has rapid Rush-like riffs and drums, and Bona Nit Senor Rovira” changes moods, directions and colors with the flick of a guitar lick over the funky bass and drums. The music is always interesting and never comes across as self indulgent. They serve each other and the ideas very well.
Tohpati is another in a long line of Indonesian guitarists deserves some attention. He’s got chops, ideas and an local folk heritage in his dna that makes this album a heady mix of metal, fusion and world. He teams up with Indro Hardjodikoro/b, Demas Narawangsa/dr, Diki Suwarjiki/reeds, and Endang Ramdan/perc for nine frenetic originals. His guitar has a fluid delivery able to sear with Jeff Beck like rapid fire on the intricate “Berburu” and cry like a Middle Eastern Carlos Santana during the enthralling “Janger” which includes accentuation by the Czech Symphony Orchestra. Suwarjiki’s flue adds exoticism to the galloping title trach and the kinetic “Pangkur” while a hint of Central Asian Rush is felt on “Amarah” and Tanah Emas.” Tohpati plays like he has a lot to say, and what he says is delivered well. Gotta see him in tour!
Moon June Records