Markus Reuter – Trepanation (Lotuspike)

Markus Reuter uses a touch guitar, an instrument with two necks allowing the player to play guitar and bass simultaneously or use two hands on the fret board. Of course the possibilities are endless, but before you start thinking about big hair and cocaine addictions it probably needs to be stated that Reuter’ music is incredibly lush and tranquil, consisting of shimmering ambient textures. The production is incredible, soaked in reverb, the music endlessly evolving around in the space. It feels like structures have been left behind as a series of loops soaked in echo, delay, and reverb float in and out of earshot. It’s perhaps due to this lack of structure that it’s incredibly difficult music to remain consciously listening to, though Reuter’ palette and dreamy treatments also contribute greatly. For some the sheen might be too great, for better or worse Reuter also contributes sound design to native instruments and has collaborated with the drummer from King Crimson with whom he shares an incredibly almost impossibly lush production sound. Yet he doesn’ share Crimson’ unquenchable thirst for perfection, as Reuter improvises with his guitar over this shifting bed of sound. There’ something curiously cold yet angelic about what he has produced here.