Guitarist and composer Frédéric L’Épée has amassed a varied and far‑reaching catalogue since the mid seventies, yet it wasn’t until the release of 12 Pieces for Solo Electric Guitar in 2023 that I finally had the opportunity to review his work. By way of introduction, I offered a brief sketch of his musical journey:
‘Before moving onto the album in hand, here’s a ‘potted’ history of French composer and guitarist Frédéric L’Épée – founding member of Shylock, who released two instrumental albums in the late-’70s, Gialorgues and Île de Fièvre. Between 1987 and 1998, L’Épée can be found in the excellent Philharmonie trio, releasing five albums. The early ’00s saw the formation of the fascinating Yang, again four albums thus far, the latest Designed for Disaster, released in 2022 and Yang’s first album to feature vocals, was well received by fellow TPA writer Graham Thomas. Along with these, and founded in 2012, is an electric guitar ensemble e – w e r k.’
I concluded the review of 12 Pieces for Solo Electric Guitar commenting: ‘a fascinating and intriguing album and not just for guitar connoisseurs…’.
Since encountering Frédéric L’Épée’s solo work, I have explored more of his output. The year 2019 proved especially fruitful, yielding three releases: the band‑oriented The Empty Room turned out to be a particularly rewarding discovery, whereas the more improvised, experimental Campanologie and Mornings A & B were both decidedly more niche propositions. All of which meant that Contre Courant which translates to ‘against the current’, arrived as uncharted territory.
Frédéric L’Épée would resurface again later in 2023 on Gayle Ellett & The Electromags – Friends album, contributing some scintillating fretwork to the final track.
Fast forward and early in 2026 Cuneiform Records announced a new studio release from Frédéric L’Épée. Released in February, Contre Courant comprises of eight solo guitar pieces and seven tracks featuring electric guitar and looper pedal. The latter format appears immediately on the opening track, Festina Lente, which caught my attention straight away. Now much of my first listens to any album happens in the car out of necessity, but as the second track, Sarabande, emerged, I made the decision to switch the music off, with the plan to return later, when my full attention could be given.
Returning to Festina Lente that evening, I was struck by its sheer beauty. Intertwining guitar lines conjure a dimly lit room where a single musician sits surrounded by a small collection of instruments and a multi‑effects unit. Rippling figures, later enriched by sympathetic layers, create an evocative harmonic world, while the bass provides both tension and release. The piece brought to mind, not in style but in spirit, the work of Liverpool guitarist and composer Neil Campbell particularly in the way the guitar becomes a commanding, absorbing, transportive presence.
The multi‑effects unit is set aside for the melodic Sarabande: a wonderful blend of the classical romanticism of Claude Debussy with the sweetest of chord inversions wrapped around an infectious melody. Simply beautiful.
Few albums sustain this listener’s attention throughout, yet Contre Courant manages it, whether through the more experimental Trois Miniatures or the ever developing, adventurous Méditation Polyrhythmique. The record offers gem after gem. The mesmerizing rhythm of the slowly evolving Aerial is hypnotic, growing in stature as L’Épée adds top lines and underpinning bass embellishments. Shimmering Heart introduces distorted guitar, but with great subtlety and a feather‑light touch. Employing ring‑modulation effects, Distance hints at Erik Satie, while more classical inflections appear in Heavy Current N°2.
From the all‑too‑brief yet thoroughly charming Regain to the more expansive, experimentally inclined three part Les Sonneurs, and finally the tour‑de‑force closing statement Le Ciel Après Nous, the album maintains its grip throughout. Each piece offers its own vantage point on Frédéric L’Épée’s craft, ensuring a listening experience that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant, and one that reveals new layers with every return.
TRACK LISTING
01. Festina Lente (5:12)
02. Sarabande (2:48)
03. Floating Forest (6:02)
04. Heavy Current N°1 (1:56)
05. Trois Miniatures (6:00)
06. Distance (4:30)
07. Méditation Polyrythmique (3:38)
08. Pluie Inversée (2:31)
09. Aerial (4:37)
10. Anchor (2:20)
11. Shimmering Heart (5:04)
12. Heavy Current N°2 (5:09)
13. Les Sonneurs (Le Timide enjoué – L’Impatient – Le Romantique) (7:23)
14. Regain (0:53)
15. Le Ciel après nous (8:38)
Total Time – 66:42
MUSICIAN
Frédéric L’Épée – Guitars, Effects
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Cuneiform Records
Country of Origin: France
Date of Release: 27th February 2026
LINKS
Frédéric L’Épée – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Bandcamp (Cuneiform Records) | YouTube | Instagram
