Stephan Thelen "Worlds In Collision"

Country: Switzerland
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock
Label: MoonJune Records
Format: CD, digital
Release date: May 1, 2026
Tracklist

1. In Search of the Miraculous

2. Fractal Guitar Goes to Africa

3. Haumea

4. Crossroads (for Bill Laswell)

5. Creatures of the Night

6. Eclipse, Phase 1 (Into the Darkness)

7. Eclipse, Phase 2 (Into the Light) 

8. In Search of the Miraculous (Coda)

Credits

Stephan Thelen: guitars, keyboards, percussion, electronics, programming

   With

Eivind Aarset: guitars

Markus Reuter: U8 touch guitar (1)

Jon Durant: guitars 

Stefan Huth: AU8 touch guitar (bass) (1,6,7)

Yogev Gabay: drums, percussion

Giri Subramaniam: tabla (4)

Andi Pupato: framedrum, hihat, azzam bells, percussion (5)

Fabio Anile: Fender Rhodes (6,7)

Description/Reviews:

FRACTAL GUITAR 4 is many things: instrumental music that fearlessly and uncomprimisingly explores the sonic and expressive potential of the modern electric guitar combined with digital effects, music that - thanks to drummer Yogev Gabay - is a masterclass in polyrhythmic drumming, music that is as precise as a Swiss watch, but that can also be free, wild and expressive. But, ultimately, it captures a passionate and urgent ‚Search for the Miraculous,‘ a search for timeless music that reflects the tragic contradictions of the human condition in its general and current state, where there is light as well as darkness, hope as well as despair, truth as well as illusion. 

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
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Progarchives
Proggnosis

Stephan Thelen "Fractal Guitar 2"

Country: Switzerland
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock, Space Rock
Label: Moonjune Records
Format: CD, digital
Release date: March 9, 2021
Tracklist

1. Cosmic Krautrock (14:08) 

2. Fractal Guitar 2 (7:58) 

3. Mercury Transit (12:03) 

4. Ladder To The Stars (14:54) 

5. Celestial Navigation (12:29) 

6. Point Of Inflection (12:12) 

Total Time 73:44

Line-up

Stephan Thelen (Sonar): electric guitar, choppy organ (1), granular synth (1, 6), programming (1, 3, 5), fractal guitar (2), formant swell (2), e-bow (3, 5), particles (3, 5), keyboards (3-5)

   With

Markus Reuter (Centrozoon, Stick Men): U8 touch guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 6), soundscapes 

Jon Durant (Burnt Belief): electric guitar (1, 3), fretless guitar (2, 5, 6), VCS3 guitar (3), filtered and sliced cloud guitar (4), cloud guitar (6)

Andi Pupato (Andreas Vollenweider): percussion

Stefan Huth: touch guitar AU8 (bass) (1-3, 5, 6)

David Torn: electric guitar (1, 6), live looping (1, 6)

Bill Walker: electric guitar (1, 5), live looping (1), feedback (1), lap steel (2, 5)

Andy Brugger: drums (1, 3, 6)

Barry Cleveland: 6 & 12-string guitar (2, 6), filtered guitar (2), bowed guitar (3, 6), revox loops (3), chopped guitar (6), fuzz orchestration (6)

Manuel Pasquinelli (Sonar): drums (2, 4, 5)

Fabio Anile: keyboards (3), electric piano (4)

Henry Kaiser: electric guitar (4)

Chris Muir: electric guitar, live looping (4)

Andy West: bass guitar (4)

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Progarchives
Proggnosis

Stephan Thelen "Fractal Guitar"

Country: Switzerland
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock, Ambient
Label: Moonjune Records - MJR096 
Format: CD, digital
Release date: January 18, 2019
Tracklist: 
1. Briefing For A Descent Into Hell (18:35)
2. Road Movie (13:23)
3. Fractal Guitar (9:20)
4. Radiant Day (8:42)
5. Urban Nightscape (17:34)

Total Time 67:34

Line-up: 
Stephan Thelen (Sonar): fractal, tritone, blue sky guitar, granular loops, organ, samples
   With
Markus Reuter (Centrozoon, Stick Men): U8 touch guitar, soundscapes
Matt Tate: U8 touch guitar (bass)
Manuel Pasquinelli (Sonar): drums (1, 2, 4)
David Torn: electric guitar & live looping (1, 5)
Jon Durant (Burnt Belief): cloud guitar (1)
Bill Walker: electric guitar & live looping (2)
Henry Kaiser: electric guitar (2)
Barry Cleveland: guitar atmospheres (3, 4), bowhammer (4)
Andi Pupato (Andreas Vollenweider): percussion  (3)
Benno Kaiser: drums  (3, 5)

Description/Reviews: 

Fractal Guitar features the atmospherically dense, polyrhythmic tapestry for which is Sonar is well known, but focuses much more on the sonic and ambient possibilities of the electric guitar. In the liner notes, Stephan Thelen writes : “After a few years of playing without effects apart from reverb in Sonar, I felt the urge to compose and record some pieces in which effects were an integral part of the music. I especially wanted to use an effect I worked with before Sonar, which I call “Fractal Guitar” — a rhythmic delay with a very high feedback level that creates cascading delay patterns in odd time signatures such as 3/8, 5/8 or 7/8. The other desire I had was to work with and to have some serious fun with a few of the many great guitarists I've met over the years to create an album that features some of the more forward-looking possibilities of the most mysterious, compelling and eclectic of all instruments, the electric guitar. ” 

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
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