Anthony Pirog - "Ripples of Light (feat. Nils Cline)"

As guitarist in the Messthetics (trio feat. Brendan Canty and Joe Lally of Fugazi) Anthony Pirog’s heavy, jazzy chops are a standout. For the Nepenthe Series, however, Pirog’s guitar goes into a completely different zone. According to the press release, “Anthony Pirog’s name may ring a bell as a member of The Messthetics along with ex-Fugazi members Joe Lally and Brendan Canty but for his upcoming album, he taps a variety of special guests for collaborations including John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Andy Summers (The Police), Nels Cline (Wilco), composer Brandon Ross and more.

A couple years ago, he reached out to these people — his friends — with a simple request of sending him an original ambient track between four and five minutes long, that he ultimately could record on top of. An important detail is that “ambient” was indeed in quotes, recognizing that each musician would have a completely different definition of the term. This creative exercise set the template for Pirog’s rich new album, comprising a wide spectrum of interpretations of ambient music.”

On “Ripples of Light” Pirog and Nils Cline trade shimmering guitar passages and elongated drones that weave in and out of each other the concluding clang of a chord that rings out like a bell at the end of the composition.