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Erik Wøllo conveys the inherent poetry of the planet in uncommonly enchanting works. Where the River Widens (44:35) is another achievement in his artistry and further establishes Wøllo as one of the most captivating musicians of our time. Each of the 11 tracks present a distinctive sonic design, one that registers clearly in the eyes of the mind. Each piece completed carries its own obligation to go on to something new. Where the River Widens unfurls with bewitching grace and suppleness. From stark and intense to serene and still its subtle shifts in timbre and tone make for effortlessly cool high listening. Its nocturnal vibe is owed to elegant chord progressions, prominent use of e-bow electric guitar and Wøllo's usual ethereal delivery. Plucked steel notes, dropping like jewels on velvet, build a charge of energy just before a churning undertow pulls us below the drifting run. With a pattern pulse snapping and lilting, each note seems a step in an invisible dance - rewriting our synapses was never so pleasant. Such level of progress and growth requires imagination. The magic combination of technological knowledge and deeply felt emotional response reveals Wøllo as a messenger - and his music a way of sending meaning out into the world.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 27 March 2025 |
