Those familiar with guitarist Raoul Bjorkenheim from his work with the harder-edged Krakatau and with guitarist
Nicky Skopelitis from his work with the very soft-edged CyberOctave label may be surprised by what they hear on this duo album. Featuring the percussion talents of Bill Buchen and the spiritual oversight of bassist
Bill Laswell (credited here with "sounds"), Revelator delivers mainly lush, exotic grooves that are consistently both easy on the ear and sonically challenging. It would be easy to let these ambient soundscapes fade into the background, but then you'd miss the complexities -- the way Bjorkeheim's bowed guitar snakes around until Buchen's tabla enters to clear the way for Skopelitis' Delta blues figures on "Epiphany" or the gorgeously polytonal "Fresh Meat and Roses." Those who enjoyed Laswell's Hear No Evil will find a lot to like here, as will fans of the first Robert Fripp and Andy Summers collaboration. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson