To those who've not yet heard of Canadian electric guitar virtuoso Roy Ziv, take note. With the release of his latest EP Distant Visions – which incorporates gorgeous instrumental soundscapes and dizzying guitar lines aplenty – the Berklee-educated six-string wizard looks set to join guitardom's pantheon of torch-bearing shredders.
Throughout the EP, Ziv constantly charters into new sonic territory, from the beautifully optimistic arrangement of Currents, to the style-fluid, key change-laden Nostalgic Dreams.
In support of the record, the guitarist has filmed an exclusive playthrough of its title track for Guitar World – shot against the wonderfully scenic backdrop of Ontario's Lake Muskoka.
He wields a Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette Special, which runs through a Positive Grid Spark amp and Traynor Darkhorse 2x12 cabinet.
Says Ziv, “Distant Visions became the natural title track for this EP, not only because it's one of my favorite songs to play, but because it has stylistic elements that are built upon in the rest of the tracks; recurring motifs, simple melodies, a bit of shred, and production full of electronic and organic elements.
“I've always found that writing melodies on the guitar is sometimes limiting as I tend to gravitate to the same shapes I always play. So for this song, I initially came up with the melody by humming it into my computer, and later embellished the melody using phrasing techniques and nuances that better fit my playing style.
“For the playthrough video, I wanted to really capture the song's tranquil vibe, so I drove 2wo hours north of Toronto to film overlooking Lake Muskoka in the heart of Ontario's cottage country.”
