Guapo
From their beginnings in 1994 as an experimental post-hardcore trio, Guapo have developed their sound over the course of many records and tours to encompass avant-rock, electronics, folk melodies and jump-cut polyrhythmic precision. The fourth Guapo CD, "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven" (released spring 2001) sees the core duo of Matt Thompson and Dave Smith taking on board Krautrock, Japanese ethnic music and freeform improvisation, with guest musicians Caroline Kraabel and John Edwards.
Guapo photos
Buy CDs
One new track appears on "No ReWind" (August of...)
£5 / €10 / $10 - or free with the latest No ReWind compilation (September of...)
Listen to "The Baron" (streaming audio)
£8.50 / €12 / $12
Listen to "El Topo" (streaming audio, extract)
Guapo's latest release. Matt Thompson: Bass, electronics, guitar; Dave Smith: Drums, percussions; with guest appearances from Caroline Kraabel on sax and John Edwards on double-bass. Incorporating elements of avant-rock, electronics, folk & noise, the musical structures are intricate and harmonically complex while still retaining a hypnotic rhythmic sensibility. East european-derived melodies and Moog experimentation are also absorbed into the sound, creating a rich and densely textured music with few antecedents.
Guapo's third album, a CD of hyper-energetic improvised collaborations with japanese legend Ruins and london-based improv duo Shock Exchange. Temporarily unavailable.
£8.50 / €12 / $12
Extracts available on Guapo's website.
Second full-length album from Guapo : "Hirohito". An entertaining melange of noise, improv., electronics, prog., opera and sample viruses, utilising sax, CD player, metal, etc... The plunderphonic approach to songwriting recontextualises sample sources such as Japanese folksongs, sound effects records and the Chinese national anthem, creating absurdist Noise Operettas out of aural detritus. The cut-and-paste collage aesthetics of John Cage / Negativland / John Zorn rubbing up against the base stupidity of Black Sabbath.