OREN AMBARCHI- THE STROUHAL NUMBER
INTERMISSION 2000-2008 (TOUCH, 2009)

Just grabbed for cheap a few Touch titles that I’ve been eyeing for a while now, including this compilation of stray and unreleased tracks by Australian guitarist Oren Ambarchi. It’s a good reminder of how diverse a musician he is, and how huge his low-end can be. This is one of the more straightforwardly “pretty” tracks of his that I’ve come across and it’s a great showcase for those dewdrops of melody that often anchor his music. There’s undoubtedly a sense of something gloomy lurking on the edges of this piece, and those rumbling bursts of static that crop up halfway through are such an effective way to add tension. Ultimately, though, it’s the quiet hypnotism of the main guitar figure, cycling through again and again, that keeps the listener pushing forward.