For those not in the know, Lawson Rollins is an American guitarist and composer from North Carolina noted for his virtuoso fingerstyle technique and melodic compositional skills.

Indeed, Guitar Player magazine ranked him as one of the "50 Transcendent Acoustic Guitarists" of all time.

His music is generally classed as Latin jazz and world music, with elements of samba, bossa nova, Middle Eastern, classical guitar, flamenco, and even shred guitar.

He often employs fast minor scales and diminished scale solo runs to his compositions which are executed in the flamenco picado style.

His brand new album Dark Matter: Music For Film (out February 15th, 2019 via Infinitia Records / TSR Records) offers 25 tracks of atmospheric instrumental music designed to engender cinematic imaginings in the mind's eye of the Listener.

Trust me when I say that popping this CD in, sitting back and either having a mid-afternoon nap or trying to concentrate on your daily work routine at hand, the music not only wafts around you like thinly-laced honey, but gets absorbed into your brain; calming and soothing all angst found within.

Incorporating a wondrous, mysterious soundscape of lush acoustic and electric guitars, synthesizers, violins, and flute, they all bond to bring forth a soundscape that transcends conventional song structure in favor of free-form musical impressionism ripe with emotional intensity.

The opener, 'Innocence' is a pure, unadulterated delight to behold and sets the listener up perfectly for what is to come. Embedded with a low ebb Native Indian wind backbone, it soars and gently peaks throughout and is definitely a track that embodies all that is great about Rollins.

Another of my personal favorites here is the cultured electric guitar work found on 'Sinister Encounter.' That and the track that follows seamlessly thereafter, 'Ever Onward' are just two tracks of the 25 that ooze lightness and wonderment in equal measures.

From the aforementioned opener 'Innocence' and the mournful sounds of 'Endless,' on through to the darker depths of the Soul laid bare on 'Never Forget' and 'Loss,' through to the stoic landscapes of both 'Haunting' and 'Searching,' coursing to its finale in both the gently frenetic force within 'Conflict' and the perfect accompaniment for your morning run 'Undercurrent,' this new album from Rollins is, for my money, one of his best yet.

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