Label: Sunnyside Records, 2024

Personnel - Ben Monder: guitar; Chris Tordini: bass; Ted Poor: drums; Satoshi Takeishi: drums; Theo Bleckmann: vocals; Charlotte Mundy: vocals; Emily Hurst: vocals; Joseph Branciforte: drums; Theo Sable: vocals.

Ben Monder, a masterful guitar genius known for pushing the boundaries of modern composition, delivers yet another tour de force with Planetarium, a triple-disc project that spans a decade and took three years to record. has the capacity to delight no matter which direction he takes. Monder, whose stylistic range encompasses jazz, modern classical, heavy metal, and alternative rock, weaves together intricate compositions filled with richly detailed juxtapositions and subtly shifting moods. While dense and featuring extended tracks, the album is a rewarding listen, demanding and deserving of your time and attention.

The composer finds hidden strengths with his guests in several pieces, starting with the brilliant opener, “Ouroboros II”. This composition seems to have prog-rock and metal undertones, with the elegant and enigmatic fingerpicking sound of Monder reaching grandiose heights. Charlotte Mundy’s ethereal vocal layers provide a striking counterpoint, while Satoshi Takeishi’s percussion work enhances the contemporary sonic landscape.

Two standout tracks, the 23-minute epic “The Mentaculus” and the nostalgic “1973” feature bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Ted Poor, whose tight interaction is arresting and supportive. “The Mentaculus” is a masterclass in complexity and emotion, blending elements of sadcore and alternative rock into cutting-edge crossovers with shifting meters and rich pulses and ambiances. “1973” takes its gravitational pull from Poor’s methodic backbeat over which a churning guitar riff and the inimitable voice of Theo Bleckmann are placed. The style here takes me to the post-space-rock of Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Bleckmann also shines on “Li Po”, named after a Chinese poet, where his visceral, guttural vocals cut through dark, distorted atmospheres and eerie tones. The title track, a solo guitar performance, comes wrapped in an optimistic, gentle aura, while “Ataraxia” features acoustic guitar oozing bright constellations of notes, the soaring voice of Bleckmann—stratified in different registers—and the drumming of co-producer Joseph Branciforte. This long-form piece gains momentum as Monder’s electric guitar solo unspools.

“Globestructures - Option II” is a fantasy inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel The Unconsoled, offering a great harmonic atmosphere with pedals and guitar harmonics, and “Ouroboros I”, a chameleonic duet with Takeishi, moves from modern lyricism to experimental rock to dark atmospheric corners. “Noctivagant” is a melancholy sleepwalk, with Monder’s acoustic guitar setting the tone, while “Collinsport”, featuring the voices of Bleckmann and Emily Hurst, investigates sound with a blend of curiosity, caution, and determination. The standard “Wayfarer Stranger”, with Monder on baritone guitar accompanying a recording of his mother singing, closes out the album in style.

Planetarium is pure musical flow, another impressive entry to the guitarist’s already formidable list of personal accomplishments.