Reflection by Van Hog Trio

This is the debut solo album from Melbourne artist and multi-instrumentalist Rohan Voigt.

After more than 15 years of playing in several local bands, with styles varying from acoustic to techno to rock to metal, Melbourne guitarist Rohan Voigt has finally recorded his first solo album - minus the guitar.

Inspired by the birth of twin boys in November 2006, as well as a diverse range of influences ranging from Australian improvisational jazz band The Necks to steampunk/new weird author China Miéville, Rohan broke away from his rock band roots to create something completely different.

"I basically just wanted a cool, chillout type album that I could listen to while I fed my kids. In early 2007 I was doing a lot of midnight bottle feeds, and found myself gravitating towards really long, slow pieces of music. Not music that was completely meditative, but things that took a while to unfold, which would also hold your attention and take you on a bit of a journey.

"Given the other restrictive factor - my home studio had been transformed into a nursery - I also wanted to write some music where I wasn't required to turn on the guitar amps. Much of it was still written on an unplugged electric guitar, but then transposed and rewritten within the computer. I created this album between feedings, so to speak, and listened to it a lot, up until the kids were about 8 months old. It was specifically designed to be absorbed late at night, with very little external stimuli."

Reflection is also something of a concept album, the first record in a planned suite of 3 instrumental albums describing the journey of a soul from death to rebirth. Collectively these albums are known as "Watery Grave". Part 2, Refraction, is due sometime in 2010, while part 3, Reformation, should arrive around 2011.

Rohan still writes and records as guitarist for eclectic angst punk pop rock weirdos "Idiot Magnet" who still somehow plan to release four albums during 2010. Check them out at www.idiotmagnet.bandcamp.com