Sonar – “Black Light” – [Cuneiform Records]

Cousin Mary   1/12/2016   A Library, CD

This foursome from Switzerland has a guitarist with a Math PhD and one who is a software guy – I like it already! Also a bass and drums. Liner notes discuss a relationship to surf – well, it is instrumental – with a mention of the String-a-long’s tune Wheels. Huh? Also mentioned as an influence is King Crimson’s Lark’s Tongues in Aspic – promising! Very nice playing, great forward momentum, some counterpoint and tricky interaction, Sonar (meaning SONic ARchitecture) straddles jazz and rock in a unique way. Tritone refers to tuning the guitar to tritones (C F# C F# C F#) – guitarist Thelen found this sound appropriately “mysterious”.