Guitarworks First Folio
Bad Channels, 2025
9/10
Listen to Guitarwords First Folio
The prolific artist Cullen Gallagher presents 11 duets for classical guitar and synth, where electronic stabs are present for the originals that are experimental and highly creative.
“Fade In” starts with a lush beauty that’s warm and poetic, and “Hard Time II: The Premoniton” follows with a dreamy ambience that’s soothing, even meditative.
Entering the middle, “Shamus” is layered with much color in its brief delivery, while “Switching Channels” is strong on atmosphere and even flirts with New Age nods.
“Sharky’s Machine” and “At Long Last Love” exit the record. The former radiates a very sophisticated and rich demeanor, and the latter emits waves of wonder and mystery that wrap the listener around the mesmerizing playing.
Gallagher embraces traditions akin to Leo Brouwer and Toru Takemitsu, where the finger picking technique is executed with much culture and timelessness.
Travels well with: Modern Silent Cinema- Passages XXXIII-XLIII; Steve Carface- Familiar Traps