Mason Lindahl

★★★★

Kissing Rosy In The Rain TOMPKINS SQUARE. DL/LP

American primitivist’s second set of guitar instrumentals.

The title to Mason Lindahl’s second album is aptly sensuous, his microphones picking up the graze of fingers across strings, the idle creak of furniture, every drop of feedback and reverb etching these nine instrumentals. Firmly in the lineage of American primitive mavericks, from Robbie Basho through 21st century descendants Ryley Walker and William Tyler, Lindahl’s music is rooted in folk and classical, but he’s equally invested in ambience and atmospherics, the dynamic possibilities of such intimate music. Opener Sky Breaking, Clouds Falling is a piece of elemental drama, Lindahl’s rolling picking and strums scraping against dark waves of synth, while Deep Wish lends emotional charge to its every peak and plummet. A supreme headphones experience, it sounds like Lindahl has spent the 11 years since his debut poring over every note and element.