chand k nova - solar bliss

Chand K Nova

Solar Bliss
Nub Country Records; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Will there ever be another instrument as popular as the guitar? Not in the foreseeable future. It has been the foundation for a large majority of popular music for the last 60 years and continues to be picked up by generation after generation. Guitars are in a lot of musical configurations but they often support the lead vocals. You also have artists whose whole sound is based on their guitar playing like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and Joe Satriani. If you are into those artists then you are going to want to check out the debut EP entitled Solar Bliss by Chand K Nova. 

Solar Bliss is an instrumental EP that revolves around Nova’s guitar playing. As with similar instrumentally based albums what it lacks in emotional impact is made up by technical mastery of the instrument. The EP is full of extended solos that quite often play throughout the duration of the song.  

Nova starts things off with the title track “Solar Bliss.” The lead guitar is exceptional but also enjoyed the supportive rhythms and riffs. Its subtle yet effective percussive come in as clinks and clacks and not an over compressed drum kit. I liked that Nova decided to incorporate a slightly untypical background to his lead. He could have easily stuck in more rocking elements which would have felt predictable. 

The second song “China Man Blues” sounds very much like the title implies. It has a hint of eastern influence as well as melancholy. “Zetetic” follows fairly standard protocol for the genre by incorporating a drum kit and distorted metal rhythm guitars to support the lead. It was arguably the least inventive song but it also features Nova tearing it up on the guitar. 

The EP closes with the vertigo-inducing “DayDream,” which features an influx of kick drums and delayed guitars. It wasn’t Nova’s most technically impressive guitar playing but may have been his most aesthetically appealing.

Solar Bliss is an EP that most people won't be on the fence about. If you like instrumental albums that feature virtuoso lead players than this will be a must have. 

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