Galactic Acid is a curious title for the recently released album by the acoustic fingerstyle guitarist, Mike Dawes. Does it refer to acids out in the galaxy? (Formic acid, acetic acid, carbonic acid and amino acids have all been detected out in space.) Or is it an acid derived from the sugar, galactose, in the same way that lactic acid is derived from lactose? And why would any of this prompt a musician to compose a new work?

While those questions must remain unanswered, we can explore the music.

Mike Dawes is regarded as one of the world’s finest modern acoustic guitar players. He was voted ‘Best Acoustic Guitarist in the World’ by Total Guitar Magazine and Music Radar twice consecutively in readers polls, with three additional 2nd place rankings.

Spotify’s artist page

The Galactic Acid album contains 11 guitar instrumentals: six original compositions and five covers. The overall feel is one of relaxed accompaniment to your day, but the inspiration comes from rather more upbeat and insistent sources. Two of the covers, for example, are songs by heavy rock artists Foo Fighters and Van Halen, and another is from the complex progressive/math rock of Plini. Guest musicians are featured on two of the tracks: Jenee Fleenor contributes harmonious violin on Segera; Jack Gardiner and Plini himself add electric guitar riffs to Push. And it all works beautifully.

Mike Dawes has the faultless fingers of Calum Graham and Jon Gomm. In his hands, the strings ring and the guitar sings as only modern materials and the latest designs can. He is a master of both playing and recording techniques. You would have to be galactose intolerant or from another galaxy to fail to be impressed by what he has done on the Galactic Acid album.