Johan Zetterquist - Study For A Monument (2017)

Gothenburg-based artist Johan Zetterquist delivers his debut album for the excellent iDEAL label, unspooling three extended pieces shaped like sound sculptures.

It's a profound drone metal variant recorded on a Gibson SG, amplifier and effects, live with no overdubs, slowly unfolding to reveal blistered shards of sound that recall everything from Stephen O’Malley to Maryanne Amacher's seminal Sound Characters.

Zetterquist gets a huge amount of mileage out of the contrast between extremes produced on his limited set up, taking us from quiet contemplation to visceral and apocalyptic metallic drones and back again, providing natural catharsis without ever being burdened by elaborate sequencing. This swell and hum offers many rewards to the attentive listener; aided by Boris Wilsdorf's excellent and detailed recording that lends itself to attentive, immersive listening.