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Stephan Thelen — Fractal Guitar 4
(Moonjune MJR149, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-05-04

Fractal Guitar 4 Cover art

Stephan Thelen’s Fractal Guitar series is now at its fourth installment, and it follows in the illustrious footsteps of its predecessors with eight tracks of unusual grooves and stellar textural guitar work. This time out, Thelen (guitars, keyboards, percussion, programming) and Eivind Aarset (guitar, soundscapes) are the only musicians appearing on all the tracks; Yogev Gabay (drums) and Jon Durant (guitar) are on six; Stefan Huth (Touch Guitar) and Fabio Anile (keyboards) play on two each; and Markus Reuter (Touch Guitar), Giri Subramaniam (tabla), and Andi Pupato (percussion) play on one each. Two of the tracks are reworked versions of pieces that have appeared previously on Worlds in Collision and Transneptunian Planets — not that you’d necessarily be able to tell from listening. Anyone who’s heard any of Thelen’s previous solo albums, or those of his band Sonar, will find themselves in familiar territory, with interlocking rhythmic patterns built out of minimalist elements combined with expansive washes of sound and highly creative phrases from guitars. You won’t find any in-your-face solos or flashy bursts of fast notes — it’s all about innovative techniques and strange effects. Subramaniam’s tabla on “Crossroads” is a nice variation on the technique, especially paired with the occasional flute-like keyboard sound and an acoustic slide guitar. The Fractal Guitar franchise shows no sign of slumping in quality, and I’m certainly on board for another if Thelen chooses to continue.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Markus Reuter, Stephan Thelen, Jon Durant, Stefan Huth, Fabio Anile

More info
http://stephanthelen.bandcamp.com/album/fractal-guitar-4

 

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