Thomas Almqvist – Nyanser LP

Originally released in 1979; Featured in the “ethnic” section of Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound disc guide, Nyanser is the balearic masterpiece by Swedish guitar maestro Thomas Almqvist. A diverse mixture of mellow jazz fusion, new age, nordic folk, world rhythms, and experimental guitar, the album’s shifting moods are perfect at every turn with most of the instruments played by Almqvist himself. If we had to pick a favorite of the bunch, it’d be “Coral Reef” with its addictive percussion groove and blissed-out guitar and synthesizer melody. Be sure to also check his follow-up The Journey as well as his late ’80s album Silent Travellers with Swedish pianist Stefan Blomquist.