Ever since he started operating as a solo artist, you can’t reproach Stephen Malkmus for going in circles or staying idle. With his 2019 album Groove Denied, the ex-leader of the band Pavement left behind his guitar-fuelled slacker indie rock in favour of a more cerebral electronic construction, a more German-sounding blend of synthetic new wave and post-rock. A year later and he’s changed his tune again with Traditional Techniques. This time, Malkmus basks in a blend of quirky folklore cultures with eclectic and sometimes over-the-top instrumentation. Emphasis on cultures, plural. American country, Oriental inflections, psy-folk, medieval music… everything goes! The tone is somewhat subdued, contemplative even, sometimes reminiscent of last century’s recordings by Alexander “Skip” Spence and Michael Hurley. With pointed lyrics, a vast toolbox which includes flute, 12-string guitar, Moog, banjo, violin and Afghan instruments, and accompanied by Chris Funk from The Decembrists and his old friend Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy), Stephen Malkmus has created his own concept of a troubadour artist haunted by ghosts of the past. And while the ensemble of the project as a whole is mainly acoustic, there’s an electrifying revelation, the beauty of the solo of Xian Man. All in all, strange, but extremely fascinating. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz