Socos — Hyperhythmique Analogue

Greek guitarist Socos has been working in various bands since 1989 including Fykia and Orama as well as a collaboration with art-pop artist Christos Alexopoulos. On Hyperhythmique analogue he operates alone on his acoustic guitar.

No cosy campfire stuff though, but more traditional playing is alternated with more 'avant garde' techniques. In opening track Hyperhythmique analogue pt. 2 you hear sounds that resemble small insects running over the fretboard creating an interesting texture. Cataleptique, which follows consists of backward guitarsounds which still manage to sound consistent. The longest piece (14 minutes) is Vis-a-vis. It's consisting of four movements, the fifth being a return to its opening theme, a somewhat Spanish tasting melodic piece that reminds me of Terry Riley's guitarworks found on The Book of Abbeyozzud. The other parts feature slow but aggressive pulling of strings but also very quiet and mysterious passages. A metal object seems to be bouncing on the strings in Hyperhythmique analogue pt. 1, again an interesting technique put convincingly into effect, more dark and moody this time. Closing piece Louise Michel is conventionally played piece again, and a bit romantic and dreamy.

This CDr-release contains interesting and very listenable modern music for the traditional acoustic guitar, not unlike Espen Jørgensen's On The Great Alkali Plains but with a more 'Mediterranean' feel, which of course seems entirely logical, geographically speaking. Only 96 copies are made so I wouldn't wait too long if your interest is piqued.