FRACTAL SEXTET (AS FRACTAL SEXTET)

Fractal Sextet is a project of Stephan Thelen, guitarist, composer and artistic director of the Swiss band SONAR. This album follows that heritage with ample use of polyrhythms, but here he is joined by Burnt Belief musicians Colin Edwin (Bass) and Jon Durant (Fretted, Fretless, and Cloud Guitars), Yogev Gabay (Drums), and Fabio Anile (Piano, Synth), and the ever-present master of polyrhythms Andi Pupato (Percussion). If you enjoyed Stephan's collaboration with guitarist David Torn, or his more recent work on the Fractal Guitar series featuring Marcus Reuter, then you must check out this album. Tracks like Fractal 5.7 will sound all too familiar to fans of Stephan's work, and throughout the album we are treated to sonically soaring guitar passages that bring David Gilmour to mind. But the absolute highlight of the album is the track Planet Nine, a tour de force as far as prog compositions go. The track builds from simple stylings, to a guitar-centric section, followed by a piano-centric section which displays the Philip Glass-like minimalist and mesmerizing play of Fabia Anile, then to a fervently building percussion solo before a slight pause gives way to an enormous crescendo of instrumental, proggy jams to finish. We are even treated to a guitar melody uncannily reminiscent of the horns and violins in the closing passages of King Crimson's Formentera Lady - whether intentional or not. It's one of those tracks that begs to be blasted at a volume of eleven. Four stars.

Fractal, what? Some associations came up immediately when getting close to this album for the first time. And true, you won't miss the point sooner or later. Known for his 'fractal' guitar work and programming first and foremost, Stephan Thelen is involved here. But on this occasion not necessarily as the absolute leading protagonist. As there is another congenial compagnion regarding the electric guitar right here on the party, US citizen Jon Durant. Furthermore, currently being very busy with several other projects, ex-Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin offers his share in quite an awesome manner. That's a highly acclaimed trio alone on its own, agreed? But wait, even more internationalism is to be expected. Already having worked in many different musical contexts they have classical trained Fabio Anile from Rome aboard, having all sorts of key instruments in supply.

Furthermore drummer Yogev Gabay, also collaborating with Israelian bands like Distorted Harmony and Anakdota. And then finally percussionist Andi Pupato, who is closing the world embracing circle in Switzerland again. In either way highly disciplined concerning the instrumental execution I'm quite sure this is based on improvisations more or less. The experienced sextet is promising and providing a remarkable synergy. While having a soft spot for psychedelic and space rock infected music it caught me right from the first moment. Significant for this sort of music is its looping and captivating flow. I mean, the opening track Zeptoscope will prove that as no other.

The album showcases an inspired conglomerate of fusion, ambient space, trance and krautrock. Regarding the final verdict, well, maybe it depends on where you are coming from. Being quite familiar with the recent Stephan Thelen albums I'm torn a bit. That special dynamic and groove, the infinite fractal variations, it all sounds a bit single-tracked in the meanwhile. Including Fabio Anile's splendid piano lines and Andi Pupato's extraordinary percussion work, exemplarily to note on Point Of Inflection, this production is standing on its own nonetheless, comes close to a masterpiece by all means.