Label: Otherly Love Records, 2023
Personnel - Anthony Pirog: guitar, guitar synth; Nels Cline: guitar; John Frusciante: monomachine; Luke Stewart: electric bass; Andy Summers: guitar; Janel Leppin: pedal steel guitar; Brandon Ross: guitar; Wendy Eisenberg: guitar; Ryan Ferreira: guitar.
Washington D.C.-based guitarist and composer Anthony Pirog, known for his work with the post-punk trio The Messthetics, showcases his broad stylistic vision, taste for experimentation, and interest in sound and texture on his latest recording, Nepenthe Series Vol. 1. Pirog, who bridges guitar and electronics with aural surrealism and imagination, invited collaborators to send him original ambient tracks, which he then recorded on top of, resulting in a remarkable blend of ethereal and sinister soundscapes.
For the opener, “Ripples of Light”, he welcomed the excellent guitarist Nels Cline, with whom he layers floating, sustained chords in order to describe a wintry picturesque stillness that makes us speechless. Mysterious and slightly ominous tones suddenly emerge in the last quarter, but they feel more awe-striking than austere, enhancing the overall ambiguity and droning details.
“Aurora”, featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante on Elektron Monomachine, arrives with buzzing drones and dial frequencies chattering in the background. They duo carries mysterious found-sounds for a little too long, evoking a distant planet with labyrinthine alleys and corners worth to discover. “Dense Blazing Star”, created with bassist Luke Stewart, incorporates electronic dance music influences, while “Bernal Heights”, a layered solo effort by Pirog, combines a bit of the Pet Shop Boys’ melodic expertise with the dark burbling and clouding obscurity in the music of Bill Laswell and Wadada Leo Smith.
With The Police’s ex-guitarist Andy Summers on board, “Inflorescence” exposes a brilliant two-guitar work reminiscent of Robert Fripp and The King Crimson’s art-rock with hints of goth and glam rock. The melody is wonderful and the texture perceptible for a compelling song format.
The song titles aptly capture the music's essence, and if we have Arvo Part’s dark choral ambiances mixed with Steve Reich’s minimalism on “Glowing Gestures”, which features Pirog’s wife Janel Leppin on pedal steel guitar, then we can enjoy two different guitar-driven atmospheres on “Night Winds” and “The Eternal River”. The former, featuring Wendy Eisenberg, is heavier and denser due to distortion and noise; the latter, with Tim Berne’s Snake Oil’s guitarist Ryan Ferreira, immerses listeners in emotion-laden surroundings, closing the album on an ethereal note.
With a dazzling array of layers and effects, Pirog's work on Nepenthe Series Vol. 1 is a testament to his artistry and extraordinary sound judgment.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ripples of Light ► 02 - Aurora ► 04 - Inflorescence