NICK FLETCHER – An Unfolding of Miracles
ProgRadar album review by David Edwards
The exceptional jazz fusion/prog rock guitarist, Nick Fletcher, has produced yet another stunning instrumental album with An Unfolding of Miracles. The supremely talented, Sheffield-based guitarist with the John Hackett Band, has now produced his 6th solo release, and quite frankly, it is a good as anything he has created previously. Nick’s solo albums have always been musically, compositionally and spiritually rich. 2022’s The Cloud of Unknowing, 2023’s Quadrivium and 2024’s A Longing For Home, were a trilogy of albums linked loosely together by his philosophical, scientific and spiritual beliefs. With An Unfolding of Miracles, Nick continues his engagement with the writings of the Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist, Carl Jung. In his previous album, last year’s The Mask of Sanity, the music was inspired by many aspects of Jung’s analytical psychology, such as synchronicity, archetypes and the collective unconsciousness. However, his latest release is more autobiographical in nature, as Nick considers his own personal life journey, based on his own therapeutic and lived experiences, as that of an empathic soul – an archetypeto describe someone who is highly sensitive to the feelings and emotions of not only those around them, but perhaps the collective unconsciousness of previous generations.
The Odyssey of an Empathic Soul is the subtitle Nick has used for the album, to signpost this inner journey, and the unfolding of miracles, over many decades, as described by the steps that Jung says this particular archetype takes to reach a clearer understanding and purpose in their life. It is a fascinating subject and one I cannot do justice to within the remit of an album review, but it is one worthy of further exploration.
Nick’s friend and poet, Samantha Turner, has written the poem The Rebirth, reproduced within the CD booklet, and it eloquently describes this odyssey and perfectly frames the cinematic and expressive instrumental soundscape of the album. Can you enjoy the wonderful music within, without understanding the context of the compositional setting? Yes, of course! However, catching the underlying current beneath it all, certainly adds to both the enjoyment and a deeper and rewarding understanding of this profound work.
“I wanted to create a cinematic way of storytelling through music,” Nick explains. “Cinema has had a great influence on my approach to creating recordings. I perceive each track as a scene within a whole unfolding narrative rather than as separate, unrelated recordings. Each composition expresses a sense of turmoil and at times peace. Each track represents different stages of the odyssey of the empath’s growth. Many odd time signatures, angular melodic and harmonic configurations create mayhem and chaotic turmoil experienced by the empathic soul.”
Once again, Nick is joined by Italian drummer Roberto Porta and bassist Jonathan Ihlenfeld Cuñado from Germany, and the interplay between these core band members is just amazing. Joining them on two tracks is Poland’s Tomasz Bura, who contributes some lovely keyboard textures and mellifluous synth soloing. The haunting, soaring vocals of Russia’s Olga ‘Dikajee’ Karpova, add a magical touch on three songs, as they have done so well on Nick’s recent albums. This continuity is highlighted by the invaluable contribution of co-producer Caroline Bonnett, who adds loops on the album, as well as atmospheric keyboards on a couple of tracks. As on the previous album, this supportive roster of talented musicians allows Nick’s virtuosic, emotional and spiritual guitar playing to shine brightly.
The opening track, Song of Acceptance, is actually an expression of the end of the odyssey. It is a beautiful and resonant acoustic guitar piece with classical influences, full of serenity, peace and a sense of fulfilment. Relatively straightforward in structure by Nick’s standards, but no less deep and profound. When I read The Rebirth poem over the track, I found it provided a truly warming and reflective moment. The sound of the wind, rain and the sea seemingly in harmony with the music, as the empath shelters from the storms they have weathered on their personal journey of discovery and ultimately allowing them to see the light revealed from these experiences.
The real narrative begins 30 years earlier with the second track, To Be Seen, To Be Heard. It refers to childhood trauma and how that impacts the empathic soul’s path in life. Roberto’s drums herald a flowing sweep of jazz fusion with Tomasz’s resonant keyboards merging with Jonathan’s shifting bass and Nick’s complex and soaring guitar runs creating a busy maelstrom of turmoil, with subtle moments of contemplation, as it ebbs and flows around you. The virtuosic interplay between the musicians never overrides the music’s melodic heart, but the undulating guitar lines can still dazzle and amaze when they want to.
Light of Becoming has a more relaxed tempo and mood, but the synergy of Roberto’s intricate drumming and Jonathan’s gorgeous, rich bass lines ensure the music never stays stranded in one place. Tomasz delivers more swirling keyboards with Nick’s guitar integrated unselfishly within the ensemble playing. As befits the longest track on the album, the music has time and space to follow several different paths, with bursts of dynamism punctuating the overall tranquillity of the original theme that bookends the piece. For Nick, the music expresses how the empath can spend so much time and energy helping others find their inner light, that they can forget about themselves and their own needs.
An Unfolding of Miracles calms things down beautifully. The music is an expression of how life can fall into place for the empathic soul once they understand what this odyssey of life is all about. There is a meditative feel and composure running beneath the rise and fall of Nick’s melodic guitar patterns, as Roberto’s shimmering drums and Jonathan’s evocative fretless bass flow through and are joined by the beautiful and ethereal wordless vocals of Dikajee, adding a timeless quality. Serenely paced, but the musical invention is never allowed to become marooned, the band’s interactions seem even more natural and instinctive on this reflective track.
The mood changes abruptly in Unravelling of Illusions with some powerful, rasping guitar riffs and energetic drumming. Here, Nick is using the darker mood to represent the turmoil of growth the empath feels, as they struggle to reach acceptance, overcome doubt and find their true purpose as part of this awakening process. There is a prog-metal intensity and free-jazz complexity at play, with accompanying bass lines and Dikajee’s darkly chaotic vocal sounds adding to the fevered instrumental maelstrom, prior to Nick delivering a couple of simply stunning guitar solos as a counterpoint, over Caroline’s background keyboard chords.
Nick takes the music back to calmer waters with some lovely, expressive acoustic guitar playing over an atmospheric and ambient soundscape conjured from his Angel vibe guitar on Only Now In Dreams Part 1. Roberto adds some subtle, but effective, percussion before an almost pastoral, repeating guitar pattern takes us to the end. Both this, and Part 2, musically represent a remembrance of those people who have come into the empath’s life and have had a profound impact on helping to guide them and putting them back on the right path. Nick says, “Once they disappear, only a memory remains – it is a resolved grief after letting go.”
That path, and the purging process of the soul, is exemplified by The Path of Fire. This is a wonderfully busy piece, with shifting syncopating drum patterns a joy to hear, as is more lush, jazzy guitar synth playing a third of the way through. Nick’s electric guitar playing is spacious and relaxed to begin with, flowing almost effortlessly, but later rising high and free in a triumphant whirlwind of intricacy and emotion. It is a dazzling conclusion to the track, and it is almost a disappointment to hear its power and beauty fade away – as I could easily hear this delightful playing for much longer. You really find something special in those rare moments when musical virtuosity is combined with deep emotion.
The Abscission Zone is a botanical term and expresses the necessary need for the empath to cut themselves off from everything, when life becomes overwhelming. Musically, it has a playful, rhythmic shuffle from Jonathan and Roberto, with Caroline’s synths supporting Nick, as he supplies a range of captivating guitar styles, creating a stalking swagger and diversity to the ensemble playing, through to the bombastic finish.
Only Now In Dreams Part 2 closes the album very well, bringing back the contemplative, dreamy vibe of the earlier Part 1, but with more percussion and Dikajee’s flowing backing vocal harmonies accompanying Nick’s thoughtful and cathartic electric guitar lines – as we hear the thunder and the rain falling. The journey has reached a conclusion of sorts, but it is taking us back to the resolution of the opening track. It is an invitation to begin the odyssey again and it is one that the discerning listener will easily and gratefully accept.
With An Unfolding of Miracles, guitarist Nick Fletcher has delivered another sumptuous amalgam of jazz fusion and progressive rock full of artistic brilliance and unconfined creativity, swirling with musical invention and breathtaking intricacy and complexity, but without ever losing its emotional and spiritual heart. He continues to move effortlessly beyond his musical influences and carve out his own unique signature style full of diversity and instrumental beauty. Undoubtedly one of the album releases of the year!
Short audio clips of each song can be accessed at https://www.nickfletcherguitarmusic.com/
Track listing:
- Song of Acceptance (2:01)
Thirty years earlier
- To Be Seen, To Be Heard (6:46)
- Light of Becoming (7:43)
- An Unfolding of Illusions (6:01)
- Unravelling of Illusions (6:56)
- Only Now In Dreams – Part 1 (2:49)
- The Path of Fire (5:48)
- The Abscission Zone (4:48)
- Only Now In Dreams – Part 2 (3:50)
Total Duration: 46 minutes 45 seconds
Musicians
Nick Fletcher – guitars, guitar synth Angel vibe guitar, bass (5)
Roberto Porta – drums
Jonathan Ihlenfeld Cuñado – 5-string bass, fretless bass
Tomasz Bura – keyboards (2 & 3)
Olga ‘Dikajee’ Karpova – vocals (4, 5 & 9)
Caroline Bonnett – keyboards (5 & 8), loops
All compositions, arrangements and concept by Nick Fletcher
Produced and mixed by Caroline Bonnett & Nick Fletcher
Mastering by Caroline Bonnett for SCNmedia
Executive production by Nick Fletcher
Release Date – October 12th, 2026 (CD, Download, Streaming)
Website: https://www.nickfletcherguitarmusic.com/