Matthias Francisco Koole is a Brazilian, Berlin-based experimental guitarist who navigates between several forms of collaboration in written music, improvisation and multidisciplinary projects. He obtained his Ph.D. degree at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil with percussionist Fernando Rocha and ethnomusicologist Lúcia Campos as advisors. oê [39:08] is his second solo guitar album, following [34:46] (seminal records, 2019. Koole is a member of this experimental Brazilian label and production house), a solo guitar album that looked back on Koole’s work with the electric guitar.

Koole plays on oê [39:08] a very old steel string guitar that he bought shortly before the recording. The recording was part of the process of getting to know this instrument, which has since become part of his instrumentation. Koole uses a few objects –  a capo, spider capo, cello bow, or drumstick and balloon, but does not use effects, add overdubs, or edit the recording. The titles are references or deferences to influences in the form of persons, entities or objects.

Koole explores the sonic potential of this vintage guitar as a string sound generator and improvises-investigates methodically its raw, primitive and brutal sound and its resonant qualities or as an instrument that corresponds with worldly and otherworldly exotic string instruments. There are no familiar narratives or predictable chord changes. oê [39:08] is released as a limited edition 12’’ vinyl, and both sides begin with urgent, fractured themes, followed by pieces that suggest more dense and complex textures, almost mechanical ones on the second side of the album.

Eyal Hareuveni 

Matthias Koole (guitar, objects)