After being diagnosed with cancer, David Bales believed he would soon meet his end. Thankfully, this ultimately turned out to not be the case, but this sudden confrontation with death and the internal processing of his condition fully informed this richly evocative solo guitar record.

Released back in July, Ringing Fields is a masterclass in instrumental expression. What you’re hearing on this album is Bales coping with his own mortality by pushing the boundaries of his guitar skills. His efforts certainly paid off, as his atmospheric yet lyrical melodies paint deeply detail pictures and his overall style sounds completely original. Bales perfectly communicates the complex range of emotions that dominated his psyche throughout this difficult period entirely through his contemplative yet meticulous playing;—impressively, without the assistance of overdubs or editing.

The pieces on this album are often stark, raw and haunting, with plenty of space and moments of quiet, which gives his notes the time to ring out and breathe. This meditative quality makes the guitar lines feel like Bales’ inner thoughts as he works through his trauma. Sometimes they linger and drift into stunned silence, and at other times, they’re racing and hurried with a frenzied energy. The cavernous reverb that is often present throughout the album adds an extra level of melancholia to the songs, often conjuring a church-like ambiance. This effect also gives the guitars a very seraphic bell-like sound, even when Bales is playing through some fuzzy distortion.

There’s a great deal of light and hopefulness that comes through his instruments, too. Some tracks, like “Jennifer” or “Little Blue House,” glow with a loving warmth that could guide one through the darkest of storms. In these and all of the songs on this record, Bales vividly speaks so much of his experience and his moods all without uttering a single word. This is what makes a great guitarist, in this reviewer’s opinion.

Click here to pick up your copy of Ringing Fields from David Bales on CD, vinyl or digital today.

PS: If you liked the sound of this record, be sure to catch David Bales when he opens our Psych Ambient Daydream festival on December 6th at Prototype 237 in Paterson, NJ!

-KH