jim davies electronic guitar

Released: 26 May 2009 Label: Mascot Records

Jim Davies might not be a name that springs instantly to mind when thinking about solo guitarists releasing instrumental albums. He certainly isn't in the public eye as a solo artist the way Vai or Satriani are, but chances are you have at least a passing familiarity with his work even if you don't know it.
 
Currently plying his trade with electro-rockers Victory Pill, Davies is perhaps best known for his stints with The Prodigy and Pitchshifter. There are echoes of both these acts on Electronic Guitar, but it is an altogether more laid back affair than anything ever committed to tape by either band.
 
Although some of the drum and bass-influenced rhythmic loops may bring to mind The Prodigy at their most danceable, or indeed the insistent industrial elements of Pitchshifter, this album has none of the blatant confrontational groove or devil may care attitude of either act, favouring warm and ambient electronic soundscapes over in your face aggression.
 
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the album is that with the exception of the drums and a few bass effects, every sound on the album is created with an electric guitar. Davies excels at showcasing the tonal, textual and emotional diversity of the instrument, shifting effortlessly from industrial-strength riffing and over-driven lead work, to delicate and subtle atmospherics. When at it's best, as on album closer Rockers Vs Ravers, the techniques and tones combine seamlessly with restraint to create an overall effect greater than the sum of its parts.
 
If it's a million note a second shredding you're looking for, this is probably the wrong album for you. If however, you've ever been a fan of the trippy experimentation of acts like Ship of Fools or their contemporaries on the early 90s Peaceville subsidiary Dreamtime, you will find lots to like here. Late at night on headphones, or in your car, this album is a journey rather than a destination. Let it take you where it may.
 
File under 'interesting.' In a good way.

by Marcus Jervis