Covid is not slowing down the deluge of modern guitar releases. Today is one of the days Bandcamp gives all of the money to the artists so if you like any of these grab it now.

Various Artists Walk My Way Vols 1&2 [Orbit 577]
Curated by Nick Vander, this is an essential compilations series of modern guitar recordings, including many players covered in Guitar Moderne, like Jessica Ackerley, Scott Fields, Marco Oppedisano, Nicola Hein, Marco Capelli, Eliot Sharp, Killick Hinds and, well you get the idea. Volume 3 is scheduled for March.

Riccardo Murtas [Bandcamp]
Mood-filled electronic atmospheres, courtesy of bowed and picked guitars played in spaces that add to the emotional impact.

The End Allt Är Intet [Rare Noise]
Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson (Fire!, The Thing, Cuts ), Norwegian saxophonist Kjetil Møster (Møster!, Zanussi 5, Reflections In Cosmo), Ethiopian-born vocalist Sofia Jernberg (Fire! Orchestra, PAAVO), Norwegian guitarist Anders Hana (MoHa!, Ultralyd), and Norwegian drummer Børge Fjordheim (Cloroform) join forces for a glorious noise fest with moments of still edgy quietude.

Capitanes de la Industria Ovnizombi [Discos Nelson]

From Buenos Aires comes Lobi Meis (synth, tablet), Gregorio Kazaroff (drum machine, sampler, radio) and Wenchi Lazo (guitar, pedals) with an album of dynamically and emotionally varied improvisations featuring fresh sounds, textures, and some rare humor (especially from Meis’ burbling synth). Apparently the band has a rotating roster that features Lazo as a constant, here is an earlier version of Capitanes de la Industria.

Christina Ruf & Markus W. Schneider 264 Hours of Sleep [Cykel Records]
Guitar/cello collaborations are a welcome tradition, from Terje Rypdal/David Darling to Anthony Pirog/Janel Leppin. Ruf’s 6-string electric cello, acoustic cello, synths, effect pedals, iPad, bowed banjo, bowed slide guitar, bowed acoustic guitar, and bowed bass were combined remotely with Schneider’s vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, effect pedals, Hohner organa, and drum machine to create a unique mélange of evocative modern songs and instrumentals.

The Why ..This Earth [Bandcamp]
Guitarist Anders Nilsson and drummer Jeremy Carlstedt perform as a duo called The Why for this EP of four alternately aggressive and seductive improvisations. Unlike many, Nilsson is not afraid to throw some blues into his improv.

Record Picks is a periodic offering from Guitar Moderne: a listing of recordings brought to my attention that I feel are worthy of being brought to yours. These are not reviews. Feel free to submit recordings, but they must be purchasable worldwide, reflective of modern guitar (subjective to be sure, but no blues, classic rock, be-bop, country, etc.) and on a par with the ones above to rate a mention. Many of these are available from DMG in NYC. If you have already sent me a recording, please feel free to remind me.