Oren Ambarchi - Shebang (2022)

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Oren Ambarchi - Shebang (2022)

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Extended guitar hero Oren Ambarchi returns with Shebang, the latest in the series of intricately detailed long-form rhythmic workouts that includes Quixotism (2014) and Hubris (2016). Like those records, Shebang features an international all-star cast of musical luminaries, their contributions recorded individually in locations from Sweden to Japan yet threaded together so convincingly (by Ambarchi in collaboration with Konrad Sprenger) that it’s hard to believe they weren’t breathing the same studio air! Expanding on the techniques of these past works, intricate themes and variations build upon the staccato rhythms via expansive improvisations from BJ Cole, Sam Dunscomb, Chris Abrahams, Jim O’Rourke and Julia Reidy. The ensemble surges through a slow series of harmonic changes before the whole shebang dissolves into a delirious synthetic mirage.

Shebang begins with a precisely interwoven lattice of chiming guitar figures, developing Hubris’ monolithic pulse into a joyous, hyper-rhythmic melodicism while drawing on the free flow of improvisation, with individual voices momentarily coming to the fore and subtle changes in harmony and texture. The first excerpt, aptly titled "I", reveals itself by building from isolated single notes into densely layered poly-rhythms, as the muted guitar tones are joined by subtle touches of shimmering Leslie cabinet resonance and mutated guitar synth.

Bridging minimalism, contemporary electronics, and classic ECM stylings, and bringing together a cast of preternaturally talented contributors, Shebang is unmistakably the work of Oren Ambarchi: obsessively detailed, relentlessly rhythmic, unabashedly jubilant. Grab a slice and celebrate the birth of Shebang.

AllMusic Review by Paul Simpson
Shebang follows Oren Ambarchi releases like Quixotism and Hubris, which consist of a single continuous piece divided into movements, threading together contributions from an impressive cast of experimental and electronic music luminaries. Less techno-influenced than those two albums, which included appearances from Thomas Brinkmann and Ricardo Villalobos, Shebang falls somewhere in the vicinity of post-minimalism, ECM-style chamber jazz, and Krautrock, with several instruments and techniques suggesting other far-flung genres. Ambarchi's tightly wound guitar playing is central to the piece, and as the arrangement becomes deeper and more intricate, the first few minutes suggest that Ambarchi could keep piling on fractured guitar patterns and build an entire world with one instrument. Gradually, other players enter the picture, with Sam Dunscombe's bass clarinet expanding the atmospheric qualities and Joe Talia's drumming outlining the rhythm. Like the guitars, the drums never settle into a straightforward pattern, as they're constantly mutating and hitting different emphasis points. Master pedal steel guitarist B.J. Cole adds a surreal ambient country dimension to the soundscape, as the guitars get knottier and proggier. The piece blooms even more during the second half, as Chris Abrahams' piano both enhances the rhythm and provides jazzy melodicism, and Johan Berthling's acoustic bass gives the music a nice propulsion. Jim O'Rourke also provides some sharp modular synth sweeps, and Julia Reidy contributes mesmerizing 12-string guitar playing that could easily be mistaken for zither or hammered dulcimer. As dense as the mix gets, it never suffocates, and all of the instruments are allowed to breathe easily. Shebang is an inventive, vibrant work that constantly surprises and uplifts.