Solo

Solo is the first solo album from Papir guitarist Nicklas Sorensen. While there are certain similarities with the oeuvre Sorensen has created with Papir, it quickly becomes apparent that this is something quite different. Throughout Solo, the Copenhagen native explores his primary instrument, the guitar, as a generator of otherworldly sounds, as a compositional tool, and - perhaps most importantly - as a transmitter of pristine, cascading melodies. There's a peaceful, savory quality to the album that indicates a musical maturity. With help from Papir's rhythm section as well as Causa Sui's Jonas Munk (who also recorded the album in El Paraiso's studio), Sorensen has created a wide, shimmering sound that seems to allude to a multitude of different styles and traditions. Considering that Sorensen is best known as a hard-rocking guitar player with a knack for improvisation, it's perhaps surprising that his inclination for pattern-based minimalism and blissed-out ambience dominates throughout this set. This is the kind of album that rewards repeated listens, constantly revealing new layers in the architecture of the sound. Solo is an affable, slow-burning album in which each component is given it's own space and place to gently unfold and work it's magic in the mind of the listener.