Erik Wøllo - Cloud Of Strings (CD)

Release Date: 10/06/23

Wøllo masterfully manipulates the acoustic guitar with elevated clouds of dulcet layered sound and resonant shimmering melody.

After many years and many electronic music albums, Norway's Erik Wøllo returns home, in a sense, onCloud of Strings. Created on an assemblage of acoustic guitars, his 14th Projekt solo album sees Wøllo explore the instrument he first loved. It's an album of twelve melodic moods - an intimate collection showcasing a fresh perspective on Wøllo's artistic range and versatility.

With reflections of his two previous guitar-music albums -Guitar Nova (1998) and Blue Sky, Red Guitars(2004) - Wøllo imaginatively combines intricate finger picking patterns and sweet-sounding melodies with dreamy and enchanting compositions often enhanced with extensive use of the EBow and slide. The guitars sometimes meet with the Finnish Kantele and other stringed instruments as well as percussion from hand drums, shakers and triangles.

'Everything you hear,' Erik says, 'is acoustic; there were no synthesizers used on this album. Lately I've felt the urge to further explore my relationship with the acoustic guitar. RecordingCloud of Stringswas a chance to rediscover this instrument and its cousins using all my experience from working with electronic music for the last 40 years. When I was younger, I was the kid who sat in his bedroom all the time obsessed with rehearsing 10 hours a day. My plan was to study to be a classical musician. A few ideas from those times - when I still was in high school - made their way onto the album.'

Utilizing studio techniques results in expansive shimmering atmospheric and ethereal tones. With this, Wøllo uncovers the instrument's warm resonance and rich natural tonal qualities.

After albums primarily created with electronic instruments,Cloud of Stringsis a sparkling change of pace. Wøllo masterfully manipulates the strings with elevated clouds of dulcet layered sound. It is musical spellwork driven by clear and resonant acoustic melody.

CD in 4-panel digipak, limited edition of 1000