For more than 30 years, guitarist Henry Frayne—a veteran of the Champaign, Ill., music scene—has quietly released instrumental albums under the Lanterna moniker. On Hidden Drives, the project’s seventh release, lush guitars and synthesizers ring through a sonic atmosphere rich in texture, emotion and melody. Occasional drums and percussion, courtesy of Blue Man Group’s Eric Gebow, gives a song like “Redwoods” a jazzy feel, while Frayne’s shimmering guitars invoke a country and western spirit on “Nice,” and the title track, with its twisting-turning arrangements, is the perfect companion for an up-north drive at dusk.
The final five tracks are remixes of songs that appear earlier on the album, which developed when Frayne told producer/engineer Mike Brosco to “have some fun” and manipulate them. There’s immediacy and familiarity here, even if you’ve never heard Lanterna before. These song exude warmth, joy and yearning—making Hidden Drives a hidden gem well worth discovering.
