The 26-year old London-based guitarist James Blackshaw has been putting together haunting and invigorating (and just flat-out stunning) compositions for solo 12-string guitar for quite some time. In 2007 it was his excellent The Cloud Of Unknowing. This month he's back with the intensely beautiful, insular sixth album Litany Of Echoes. To keep it in close to the same generation, you could liken him to the Ben Chasny of For Octavio Paz and Compathia, etc. -- and, like Chasny, Blackshaw also dives headfirst into deep, dark resonances and drones -- but then, his label's dead-on when they reference Steve Reich and Charlemagne Palestine (see, for instance, Litany's opener, "Gate Of Ivory" and sister closer "Gate Of Horn"). Robbie Basho should be there, too. Adding to the intensity this time out, Blackshaw's threaded piano into his finger-picking and resonances and Fran Bury deepens the atmosphere with buzzing and sawing viola and violin. That said, we're presenting you with the sunnier, pastoral "Infinite Circle," its delicate notes of guitar, piano, and bowed strings working as one, well, infinite circle.
James Blackshaw - "Infinite Circle" (MP3)
The song's gorgeous on its own. It blooms when you hear it in the proper sequence of the six-song, 53-minute collection: After "Echo And Abyss," before "Shroud." Go for it.
Litany Of Echoes is out 6/17 via Tompkins Square.
