Sean Ashe – ‘Flux’ [Review]

If you love getting lost in oceans of warm, seductive notes, Flux should be top of your 2016 wish list. Sean Ashe is a sublime guitarist, and with this collection of gorgeous instrumental tunes, he hits the sweetest of sweet spots.

A sense of pure, unadulterated joy permeates opener Imagine (deep-pocketed grooves, sensual tones, a graceful piano solo) and Memory Lane, the latter of which skips playfully from slinky licks to what sounds like a nod to Al Di Meola’s Race With Devil On Spanish Highway. Floating Thread drifts through dreamy atmospherics aplenty, underpinned by the sparsest of only-play-what’s-needed drum parts performed with great taste by Andreas Sjoen; Luminescence alternates between sexy-funky vibes and soaring, anthemic lines; and fifth tune Creature offers three minutes of ultra-tight and tangential theatrical flamboyance.

Next up, fan favourite Hemisphere returns to Sean Ashe’s trademark combination of warmth, joy, and sincerity. Smooth and mellifluous, Ashe’s signature tune shines brightly, its core melodies gliding through arpeggiated waterfalls, laid-back rhythms, and dirty rock sections. A modern rock guitar masterclass right there.

By the time you enter the final quarter of your average album, you’ll normally have hit a weak spot, and can look forward to little more than filler tunes tacked on the end to make up the numbers. Flux is not even remotely average – and its final pair keep up their predecessors’ momentum. Meteor Eyes‘ intro could fit snugly onto a Dream Theater album, but crucially, it doesn’t sound like a pastiche. Meteor Eyes also sees Sean Ashe make his vocal debut (a possible indication of future explorations?) before Abandon pensively brings us to Flux‘s anxiety-fuelled and ultimately victorious conclusion.

Overall: Flux is an epic win in album form. Love it!

TMMP RATING: 93%

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Sean Ashe official website.

Buy Flux via Bandcamp here.

Posted on 03 January 2016