Glenn Kimpton
Glenn Kimpton
Glenn Kimpton is a freelance writer and instrumental musician. His work focuses on improvisation and instrumental music, drawing inspiration from nature and landscapes.
Completing his solo trilogy, percussionist Joe Westerlund moves away from loose improvisation toward sturdy, irresistible grooves on Curiosities from the Shift. Inspired by the foundational clave pattern, this record weaves a rich tapestry of metallophones, electronics, and deep bass. It is a treasure trove of rhythmic exploration that feels both meditative and energetic—a euphoric, detailed album that demands and rewards repeated listens.
Robin Adams’ “The Beggar,” is a superb album. Contrasting in mood with his previous work, the nine songs feature strong songwriting alongside intelligent and often adventurous musicianship. While his fingerpicked acoustic guitar is at the core of each song, subtle strings, bowed cello, and percussion frequently enhance the sound, creating a gorgeous, elegiac atmosphere. It’s lean, creative, and packs exceptional depth, deserving many accolades.
Sir Richard Bishop’s ‘Hillbilly Ragas’ sees the veteran guitarist in devilish, free-flowing form. This terrific set of solo acoustic instrumentals subverts the rigid “American primitive” genre with a ramshackle, rhythmic, and improvised approach, adding Indian and Arabic flavours. It’s a “total banger”—vital, super-focused, and creatively brilliant acoustic music at its most exciting and intelligent.
On ‘Minnesota’, Trond Kallevåg is joined by a crack Norwegian trio: violinist Tuva Halse, drummer Gard Nilssen and double bassist Mats Eilertson. The album expertly balances jazz, folk, and ambient sounds, drawing inspiration from the Norwegian coast and the American Midwest. It’s a deft, creative, and playful recording, marked by mesmerising violin, intuitive interplay, and wonderfully dynamic soundscapes performed at the highest level. It’s also a joy to listen to.
Instrumental super-folk-trio Leveret—Andy Cutting, Rob Harbron, and Sam Sweeney—create an exceptional “warm glow” on Lost Measures. Unearthed dormant melodies are combined with new originals, resulting in eleven pieces of beautiful music. The ease with which the players converse is remarkable, demonstrating restraint, power, and impeccable performance. This is exhilarating, spellbinding stuff; instrumental music performed at the highest level.
Folklore forager Jake Xerxes Fussell and producer and musician James Elkington provide the score for Rebuilding, a poignant film of recovery and resilience. Their seventeen miniatures, built on guitar and fleshed out with pedal steel and subtle strings, evoke classics like Ry Cooder’s Paris, Texas, yet swap its iconic dust for palpable warmth and optimism. The music is almost minimalist but captures the magic of cinematic landscape and human emotion.
By no means overshadowing Blue Lake’s previous album, Weft, The Animal instead provides further proof of Jason Dungan’s ambition and ability as a musician and now bandleader. A record celebrating human collaboration and the beauty of life and nature, The Animal sees Blue Lake push its sound into new realms, once again surprising and delighting—a wonderful, uplifting instrumental album.
Bergamo-based guitarist Buck Curran’s Far Driven Sun is an intensely musical, layered set celebrating his reunion with a 1990 Stefan Sobell ‘Butterfly’ acoustic guitar. From the intimate “Vignettes” to the subtly dynamic “Bells” and the buoyant “Unicorn Song,” it showcases Buck’s exquisite touch as a player and recording artist. It’s a highly accomplished album, made with love and performed with the utmost skill and intricate musicianship.
Mason Lindahl’s meticulous dual-release presents a captivating study of ambient texture and place. Recorded in California (Joshua) and Iceland (Same Day Walking), the albums’ distinct sonic palettes—one “woolier and warmer,” the other starker—are inseparable from their locales. Lindahl’s singular nylon string guitar style, with its complex picking and judicious synth/organ touches, finds both intimacy and an otherworldly feel in an album of outstanding guitar music.
As with past compilations in this celebrated series, Imaginational Anthem vol. XIV : Ireland is a wonderfully diverse, quietly exciting set of songs. Cian Nugent, Caoimhe Hopkinson, NC Lawlor, Aonghus McEvoy, Junior Brother, Sean Carpio, David Murphy, Brenda Jenkinson, Damian O’Neil, Mark McKowski & Jerome McGlynn all make valuable contributions to a set that is a testament to the versatility of the guitar and an absolute pleasure to listen to.
Featuring Nathan Bowles, Jaime Fennelly and Joseph Westerlund, “at Public Records” is the latest live album from Setting, on which all four pieces stand out in very different ways, but together make a whole that is one hell of a listening experience. A worthy conclusion to a trio of live albums that feel as relevant and accomplished as their debut album, Shone a Rainbow Light On.
Gwenifer Raymond’s third album, Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark, fuses folk horror with the cosmic. From the complex guitar prowess of “Jack Parsons Blues” to the eerie sounds of “Banjo Players of Aleph One,” Raymond’s new work is a natural progression of her sound that raises the instrumental acoustic guitar album to new heights and delivers something new. It’s another banger from this excellent guitarist.