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Frédéric l'Épée — Contre Courant
(Cuneiform Rune, 2026, CD / DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2026-03-18

Contre Courant Cover art

We have seen Master guitarist Frédéric l’Épée in a variety of settings, from the full-on progressive rock of his band Shylock in the 70s, to his guitar trio (and later quartet) Philharmonie in the 90s, to the instrumental guitar rock of Yang in the post-2000 era, to the occasional solo album released along that same trajectory. His latest solo release Contre Courant is cut from a similar cloth as his 2019 album The Empty Room, that of an unapologetically introspective creative force reaching deep within for precious gems, full of beauty and majesty, where one might not find the convenient genre labels of his other works, sounds that transcend rock and jazz and ensemble work, though perhaps informed by French classical music at times. It’s all summed up in the fifteen instrumental tracks at hand. Many of the pieces are completely solo, while others feature multiple guitar parts and sometimes bass; some also feature atmospherics (likely guitar also, though with a battery of effects), each offering a powerful statement direct from the soul, a sound that is at once unique among all the others here. “Festina Lente” opens the set with a powerful rolling guitar figure that seems to ascend and descend with carefree abandon amid beautiful and dreamy precision. The simple yet stunning “Sarabande” follows, a magical melody wrapped in intense beauty across its three-minute duration. Other pieces of note along this journey include the rhythmic and catchy “Aerial,” where a second ornate guitar part follows the first basic elemental track joined eventually with some powerfully effected flourishes. “Méditation Polyrhythmique” is very much what the title suggests, and l’Épée seems to be playing the piece on a single guitar in real time. With “Distance” the impressionist classical influences come to the fore, enhanced with a bass track and gently effected rhythms. Probably the most introspective piece here is the subtle and dreamy “Anchor,” a true encounter with  l’Épée’s introverse. And the set closer is the near-nine-minute “Le Ciel après Nous” (“The Sky after Us”), is an expressive guitar-only rocker that positively shimmers with brilliance. There’s not a bad cut on here anywhere.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Frédéric l'Épée

More info
http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/contre-courant

 

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