MGR - Nova Lux

Nova Lux (Neurot, 2006) was the album I listened to the most last year at bedtime (the runnerups being Blut Aus Nord's MoRT and Spektr's The Near Death Experience). MGR is the ambient project of guitarist Mike Gallagher of Isis. Though of course it doesn't rock like Isis, it's actually not that far removed; imagine the mellow, clean-toned parts of Isis dilated over long, beatless tracks.

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Gallagher generates tones and washes mostly without a computer, using only guitar and pedals. Refreshingly, he often keeps a slight pulse and sketches out delicate but definite chord progressions. The result isn't as detailed as something computer-generated, though it's certainly more laidback. Skeletal yet dreamy, this album has near-infinite playability. It's available from Neurot.