Venture online and watch a few videos by Tasmanian guitarist Alan Gogoll and you’ll see he’s nothing short of a phenomenon. On acoustic, he conjures artificial harmonics in a manner that almost defies gravity. Better still, he never shows off these chops – everything on Lioness Lullabies is in the service of the song and melody.
Delivering those rapid-fire harmonics using the middle and ring fingers of his picking hand, on “Bella’s Harmonic” the notes ripple like wind chimes. It might sound like a guitarist and a kalimba finger-harpist playing together, but no, it’s just Gogoll, live. In the 6/8-time “Sleepgarden,” his guitar sounds like a music box chiming gently on the night stand. It’s sublime stuff, as is “Goldfish Ocean.” Recorded using rare and expensive microphones, Gogoll suggests each track is a personal conversation.
You’ll be hearing the name Alan Gogoll in the coming years. He has mastered the art of bell-like artificial harmonics, and players will be craving to learn his secrets. There’s a reason the Aussie acoustician has amassed more than 600,000 social-media followers. – Pete Prown
This article originally appeared in VG’s April 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
