INVENTIONS FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR

One of the three magicians behind the brain melting "Ash Ra Tempel", Manuel Gottsching had long before 1975 proven himself a master guitarist and an early wizard of electronic effects. By that year, though, his band had fallen apart. His response? Just make an album of him multitracked, playing several guitars at once as in a trance. "Echo Waves" immediately shows the wonder of his style: his skill on guitar translates to quick moving yet soothing chords and solos that together bring the listener to a world of active peace. Makes me think of the celebratory heaven described in Dante's "Paradiso". "Pluralis", on top of the hazy guitars, also has synth-esque guitar, that ever so elusive and special sound. Gottsching had cracked the flip side of ambient, fiery rather than slow, even before Eno's Ambient Series. Very impressive on top of being very enjoyable, a unique cornerstone of relaxation music.