The distinctive guitarist Heikki Ruokangas follows his own path in music, playing a blend of melodicism and avant-garde that is difficult to compare to anything else. Having already released several solo albums, Ruokangas has found a like-minded partner for his latest album: Julien Tassin from Belgium, who also plays acoustic guitar. Now Tassin and Ruokangas have released their first duo album, Behind The Mask, recorded half in Finland and half in Belgium.
Tassin and Ruokangas are responsible for most of the album’s compositions, although it includes two cover pieces that come from very different corners of the musical landscape. The duo interprets the composition Canto de Trabalho by the Portuguese fado guitarist Carlos Paredes (1925–2004) in much the same spirit as the two versions by Paredes himself that I listened to on a streaming service. The other cover piece—chosen as the album’s final track—is the old gospel classic He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. It is also the only track on the album where a soloist/ accompaniment setup momentarily emerges.
The duo plays new music that resists categorization, weaving its way into the free spaces between avant-garde, classical music, free improvisation, and jazz. The pair relies on small gestures, as can be expected from acoustic guitarists. In addition to skillful fingerpicking, delicate harmonics, slide-guitar textures, and even bowing techniques create a rich sonic world on the album. At the same time, the duo also uses intriguingly dissonant chords, and even hymn-like devotional or folk-tinged melodies are contrasted with sharply edged, unpredictably sparkling harmonies.
Based on the information in the album booklet, the listener cannot distinguish the two guitars from one another. Identifying the individual musicians is unnecessary, as Tassin and Ruokangas play so tightly together that it feels like a single shared instrument. From this close connection arises captivating and, above all, uniquely beautiful music.
