PRESS
UNCUT (UK)
"In the field of avant guitar wrangling, Chenaux's style is genuinely distinctive. His latest is an(other) effortlessly lovely solo set that recalls John Martyn, Marc Ribot, Arthur Russell and the Hardanger fiddle tradition, as it weaves trippily between improve jazz, electronica, folk-drone and lounge balladry. Chenaux's pure, sweet voice soars along Chet Baker and Jeff Buckley lines and he's no lyrical slouch, although an instrumental interpretation of the Rodgers and Hart classic "My Romance" is a highlight. More heartmelter than skullsplitter - but just as ruinous."
EXCLAIM (Can)
"A triumph of post-modern songwriting. Chenaux's combination of hacked music box guitar experimentation and lonely lounge crooning conjures a spell simply too enchanting to break. 'Skullsplitter' dispatches the listener on a mission to crack the mysteries of time and space, and without offering much in the way of answers, its potential for repeat listens is enough of a reward."
QUICK BEFORE IT MELTS
"[There is] an invisible boundary between Cheneaux’s vocals and fretwork, each following its own intricate pattern and progression, with only the briefest, marvellous occasions where the two elements overlap in synchronicity. ‘Skullsplitter’ is rife with moments like this, where Chenaux has his way with his instruments, bending notes, string and the space-time continuum itself in an exploration to the outer limits of what guitar and voice in tandem can sound like. His improvised style of playing seemingly random, free-form compositions punctuates the juxtaposition of guitar and voice. […] Whether he appeals to your left or right brain sensibilities, Eric Chenaux’s 'Skullsplitter' will undoubtably entice all of your senses with its mesmerizing, time-warping ability."
THE WIRE
"His high, mellifluous croon beckons rather than browbeats, mildly inviting you ever deeper into the sound that moves and contracts around it. His acoustic guitar playing takes its easy swing from pre-bebop jazz and its hushed sonorities from a preference for nylon strings; you’ll hear no American Primitive moves when he starts strumming."
Eric Chenaux
Skullsplitter
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