James Blackshaw - The Glass Bead Game

Rating:

* * * * *

At just five songs over nearly 50 minutes in total,

The Glass Bead Game

could be mistaken for classical music - and the ebony and ivory maelstrom of 18-minute last track

Arc

is more akin to a set of Chopin preludes than anything like folk, rock, or whatever genre guitar virtuoso James Blackshaw's music might fit into.

But this bloke used to play in punk bands, and it shows in his gutsy yet poised playing, and his simple yet inspired instrumental combinations. With a 12-string guitar, a piano, and a bellowing harmonium (similar to an accordian, only not as annoying), Blackshaw conjures up sprawling sonic journeys that are tranquil and cinematic, but with brief and telling moments of discord. On this, his seventh album, he is also joined by string and woodwind players

Joolie Wood and Jon Contreras from British post-industrial experimental band Current 93.

On opening track

Cross

his lush and elaborate guitaring is backed by a beautifully incessant wheeze of harmonium, and later it's delicate and sublime strings to the fore, before a mangled acoustic chord brings it to a close. And while

Fix

is forlorn - with sad verging on soppy strings - you somehow forgive the melancholy when it sounds this stunning.

Then there's the rollicking and ebbing piano masterpiece

Arc

which is the perfect soundtrack to a log bobbing and lolling its way down a wending and winding river as it negotiates the rapids effortlessly.

The Glass Bead Gam

e is one of the year's best and most beautiful releases to date.

Scott Kara