The Young Mountain Of The East
Chaikin, 2026
9/10
Listen to The Young Mountain Of The East
The composer/guitarist Jon Catler pens a tribute to his mentor, La Monte Young, where his self-designed fretless guiatr radiates a distinct tonality.
“Emanation 1” opens with a sonic allure, where the droning guitar unfolds with a distinct mood, and “Emanation 2” follows with a hint of mystery surrounding the microtonal tuning.
“Emanation 6” lands in the middle and is a bit thicker in scope via the immersive approach, while “Emanation 7” offers a nearly meditative quality via the precise pitch.
“Emanation 11” and “Emanation 12” exit the listen. The former is a bit frisky with a rhythmic energy under the dreaminess, and the latter finishes with Catler’s atypical version of harmonics that populates the entire album and keeps us engaged.
A really creative effort, Catler’s multi-tracked guitar in intonation tuning makes for an experimental, droning and minimal listening experience like few others.
Travels well with: Sarah Rothenberg- In Darkness And Light; Sarah Plum- an expanding distance of multiple voices