"Crystalline complexity sings in the third volume of Heptad, a new collection of solo pieces by Álvaro Domene for guitar and electronics. There's a subtle swing that shines throughout placing this music within the realm of jazz without ever falling prey to the cliches.
Álvaro's style is very much his own yet we may hear hints of John Abercrombie, Anthony Braxton, and Thelonious Monk not to mention the intensity and virtuosity of Cecil Taylor or the mathematical bluesiness of Conlon Nancarrow's pieces for player piano.
The sound is always clear and articulate yet warm - the use of electronics never renders the music cold nor clinical. Indeed, the effects vault the playing into the realm of the impossible with delays and pitch shifters being used not for Hollywood-style effects but to extend the range of Álvaro's instrument into deep bass and stratospheric treble while creating contrapuntal lines that swirl into fractal wisps. In addition to waves of notes, there are placid pools of harmonic stillness, all the better to frame the sonic maelstrom.
Heptad offers the surprises of improvisation seamlessly combined with the satisfying arc of well-constructed compositions." – Elliott Sharp, November 2022.
Credits
Álvaro Domene: compositions, seven string electric guitar, audio engineering, cover art.
No overdubs.
Published by Dometone Music BMI