The Glass Bead Game

VINYL FORMAT. Insound Staff Pick - 2009! Comes with a digital download! James Blackshaw will now be releasing his absolutely spellbinding music via Young God Records. He used to be in punk bands in England, but then he started listening to people like John Fahey, Robbie Basho, etc., and I assume locked himself in a room for 12 hours a day for several years and just played constantly. It takes intense discipline and a religious commitment to get to the place where he's at with his instrument. But his music isn't about his "skill." It's not showy. It's deeply meditative - the secret language of a pre-thought, pre-dream place.

Blackshaw plays soulful and kaleidoscopic, ever-shifting mantra cycles of incredible beauty. Just his guitar by itself, with its swirling overtones, cascading notes, and a thousand points of light, resembles an orchestra, but with further orchestration - piano, strings, wind, and vocals - the music is positively cinematic and mesmerizing.