Govi: Seventh Heaven

A master of a variety of specially made flamenco and nylon-stringed guitars, Govi executes an impressive range of textures on Seventh Heaven, from deeply romantic, rich, multi-guitar flourish on “Rising in Love,” to soft Brazil-beat execution on the walking, lithe “Disappearing Into You.” Where “Language of the Heart” is full of stark, emotionally complex deep-register explorations, “Garden of Eden” is colorful and spacious, and full of harmonics, like a lullaby or a dream. The guitarist also produces here, and clearly plays to his strengths. The album is refreshing because it’s so straightforward; there’s no attempt to gloss or urbanize the organic sound. The results are often as striking as any studio effect could be: the guitar lines on “Havana Sunset,” for example, flicker like firelight against Don Lax’s sweet viola and violin. Likewise, crisp production floats the unique percussions of “Mediterrano” from side to side across your speakers, complementing Govi’s twisted, dancing guitar lines to create an authentic countryside charm. Throughout, the single-monickered artist conveys memorable melodies in reverent, roots-aware packages. A very natural guitar experience.

Originally Published April 1, 2001