Wind
and
Wire
Norwegian guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Erik Wollo's second CD on Spotted Peccary is chock full of a large assortment of great music, varying in moods, tempos, and subgenres. This makes it nearly impossible to review coherently yet I desperately want to review it because I'm giving it a big thumbs up. Further complicating things is the fact that the album has twenty-three cuts on it! Yikes! So, this review will not be a literal run-down of every (or even every other) song. Instead, I'll do my best to detail what makes Wind Journey one of the most appealing yet diverse albums to come from Spotted Peccary in a long time. Wollo plays electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, electric bass, percussion and flute on this album. Depending on what instruments he's playing at any given point, the CD swings from ambient in nature to a more rocking/prog-like sound to a sedate acoustic instrumental feel to an alloy of all of the above. Whatever mode he's in, though, the music is always inspired, his technique is masterful, and the engineering is a delight to the ears. The first eight cuts include two takes on the title song. The first version is one of the album's strongest pieces - melodic yet with spacy synths and beats - it has a subtle Germanic EM air, intermixed with soaring electric guitar lead lines and a propulsive rhythm section. In a different vein, "Dream Lines" melds lush synth strings with muted hand percussion and ambient-style guitar in a piece that is both ethereal and highly dramatic. "Going North" is a gentle song, featuring reverbed guitar, twinkling synths, and an undulating series of washes. The second version of the title track is yet another strong cut, as a driving quasi-tribal beat propels the song forward, bringing along with it Craig Chaquico-like guitar and synth strings. In fact, many of the songs on this album share the instant likability and accessibility of Chaquico's best work. While this type of "ambient-pop" music might be foreign to long-time Spotted Peccary fans, the judicious use of multiple synths and keyboards throughout the recording places the album squarely within the California label's sensibility. Tracks 9 through 18, which sit in the middle of the album, comprise what Erik titles the "Seasons Suite." The "Suite" opens with a echoed lead electric guitar lines over synth choruses on the song "Sea." Some of the other cuts in the suite include the somber yet uptempo "Open Land" (which evokes a feeling of movement through its galloping-paced percussive elements), the gently sad "Distant View" (featuring great synth washes and muted hand percussion), the sparkly and (surprisingly) cheery "Early Autumn" and the appropriately icy (courtesy of twinkling wind chimes and wind-like synths) "Frost." Wind Journey closes with five more selections (not part of the "Seasons Suite"). "Passage of Time" reminded me of the great guitar-tribal group Mo Boma, with clipped guitar playing and a fast tempo cadence. "Aurora Borealis" has various electric guitars, sounding a bit like some of Jon Durant's work, but in a more serene vein, painting a sonic picture of those ghostly northern lights dancing in an inky black sky. The final cut, "Home," is a bouncy mostly synthesizer number - bubbly electronic rhythms, warm melodic refrains, and a subtle retro-sound to the lead keyboard combine to bring the recording to an extremely satisfying conclusion. This review barely scratches the surface of all the great music on Wind Journey. Erik Wollo is a multi-instrumentalist of dazzling virtuosity. His compositional ability is also staggering, as he easily weaves back and forth between more dramatic and rhythmic numbers to those which are more rooted in ambient territory. This is certainly one of the top "guitar-oriented" releases of this year and should also appeal to fans of well-executed synthesizer music, as well. While the CD encompasses a variety of moods, the overall musical vibe is consistent (I'd call it active reflective, meaning the music is less passive than most ambient music tends to be, yet the emotional resonance is low-key and even sad at times). I just hope an album this wonderfully diverse and complex from a compositional standpoint doesn't come along again for a while. My critiquing ability, frankly, isn't up to the challenge! Highly recommended! review by Bill Binkelman |
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Erik Wollo's latest album, released on Spotted Peccary, will shock anyone who regularly buys recordings from the label. Guitar Nova is an homage to all manner of guitars: acoustic, slide, acoustic bass, and even includes some balalaika. But, surprise, there are no synths! So, if you're expecting a traditional ambient release, you can forget it. What you'll hear instead is one of the more varied and expertly-crafted "solo" (although not really since he overdubs his own playing) guitar albums of the last few years. I must have played it at least twelve times before finally writing this review. The plaintive feel of the music, even when it was uptempo, conformed effortlessly to my mood, whatever it was at the time - sad, neutral, reflective, or even cheery. In that respect, Guitar Nova is an ambient release, by my way of thinking, since it operates on an unconscious level to some degree. On the other hand, if you never actually listen to the album, you can't appreciate both the artistry of Erik's playing and the superb engineering of the disc (it was recorded in Erik's native Norway). And missing these songs would be a mistake. Opening with the somber "Blue Mountain," Erik's playing is evocative and filled with perfectly restrained passion - no boring overblown histrionics here! Other favorite cuts of mine include the breezy "Summer Tomorrow," the lovely "The Eagle," (which reminded me of Ralf Illenberger), the uptempo yet mysterious "Source," the rollicking (yet not overly "sunny") "Cross Country," and the Michael Hedges-like "Hjallepallo." But picking favorite songs is somewhat pointless on my part, because I love the entire album and, truthfully, I never hit the "skip" button on the CD player once. The only cautionary note I'd bring up on this album is to fans of the more sedate and tone-poem-like guitarists, such as Will Ackerman or others like him. You may find some of the music on this release a bit tuneful for your tastes. While there are minimal strains at places, most of what's here is more accessible and tuneful than anything from the more impressionistic guitar players. If you enjoy the melodic style of players like the aforementioned Illenberger or even Jamie Bonk, and you don't mind the lack of accompanying instruments (although on some songs, like "Secret Place," it sure sound like there's a synth buried in there somewhere), Guitar Nova should be a hit with you. Erik Wollo is an immensely talented musician. Unless you need something more pop-sounding or adult contemporary in nature, this CD is chock full of great acoustic guitar instrumentals. So, I won't even try to figure out what it's doing on Spotted Peccary. I'm just glad I got to hear it. Recommended. review by Bill Binkelman |
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One of the masters of
European electronic music has once again graced us with a
fine release. Erik Wøllo's Transit is a
well-executed hodge-podge/grab bag of electronic stylings
that range from the dramatic to the discreet, from the
frenetic to the (relatively) serene. I can't imagine many
fans of keyboard-based music being disappointed with
this. The album starts off with a
short almost reverential church-like number, "Another Place
(Prelude)," that morphs into odd noises. This segues into a
very propulsive sequencer-driven track, "Wonderland," that
has a heavy bass line, counterpointed with a chime-like
melody. I want to emphasize that the bass line on this song
is very deep! Then we're off in a blast of frenetic
neo-classic strings on "Indigo" that reminds me of vintage
Spotted Peccary releases&emdash;until the heavy bass enters
again. We're talking serious quasi-techno beats here (quasi
because it's really slowed down, but the presence is
significant). There is a slight darkness to this song, which
adds to the atmosphere. "Poles" starts out sounding
like a Patrick O'Hearn recording, with fast rhythms and
delicate synth work. When the sequencer cuts in, obvious
comparisons to Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze emerge. A
piano/synth refrain brings a nice contrast to the song as it
reaches cruising speed. The title cut sounds like Tangerine
Dream married to techno/house with sampled voices added into
the mix. It's a real mover! The majority of Transit
is for lovers of cruising space/electronic music. It's gotta
be a killer driving CD! The rhythms are very
catchy! I may be imagining it, but I
believe Erik continually brings in the same refrain
scattered throughout the recording. This does not sound
boring or repetitious. Instead, it almost gives the release
a "soundtrack of the mind" release, i.e. a repeating theme
used over and over. Since Transit has
fifteen songs on it, rather than continue to go through each
cut, I'll just close by saying that this is a good
electronic release for those who like their music very
rhythmic. While elements of songs could be said to be soft
or quiet, the overall impression I got of the album is to
crank this up and play it loud! Erik Wøllo's
Transit should be a welcome addition to many EM fans'
collection, especially if their tastes run towards a blend
of rhythms, cruising sequencers, and space synths all mixed
together. review by
Bill Binkelman (this
review was originally published in Wind and Wire, the
magazine)