Review

Eric Arn, of Crystalized Movements and Primordial Undermind fame, has returned with one of the year’s most varied and diverse solo guitar albums.

Across nine tracks, Arn channels noise music, minimalism and psychedelic frames of thought through his fingerpicking alone. He improvises throughout the entire album, allowing his guitar to lead him through the outskirts of American guitar soli music, jazz and ambient soundscapes.

On some songs, like the reverberating “Paen,” Arn plucks hard at his instrument, providing a percussive element that punctuates a cagey and semi-dissonant melody. It’s these experimental flourishes that help make the album stand out from most of its peers, while also relating it to the recent works of the likes of Daniel Bachman and Wendy Eisenberg.

Haunting, plaintive and excitingly multifarious, Higher Order is a record all solo guitar fans need to sink their teeth into. Click here to get your copy today.