Neil Campbell - 2026 - Diagonals. An Anthology (2020 - 2026)

(77:30; Neil Campbell)

Track list:
1. Upstream 2:21
2. Diagonals 1:03
3. Lament 1:33
4. Circles 2:40
5. No Answer 1:09
6. Romanza 1:32
7. Ascent 2:41
8. Upstream (Reprise) 3:00
9. Polarities 2:31
10. Diagonals Nr.2 0:52
11. Transit 2:09
12. Mobile Fragment 1 3:26
13. Amino 2:24
14. Limbo 1:48
15. Laces 2:12
16. Phases 2:51
17. Mobile Fragment 2 1:59
18. Denude 3:11
19. Leige 1:19
20. Mobile Fragment 3 2:00
21. Aged 2:05
22. Mobile Fragment 4 3:32
23. First Light 1:24
24. Morning Dance 2:37
25. If 1:45
26. Acorns 1:57
27. Berlin Suite 10:07
28. Ode to a Penguin 2:55
29. In the Moment 2:25
30. Hoobie Tango 3:26
31. Yachts, 1959 2:36

Line-up:
Neil Campbell - guitars, bass, electronics
with:
Nicole Collarbone - cello


Prolusion.
UK artist Neil Campbell has been around as an artist for a couple of decades or thereabouts at this point, releasing albums with his Neil Campbell Collective as well as in various collaboration settings, and with a growing number of solo albums to his name too.  His most recent studio production is the mini-album "Diagonals" that appeared in the spring of 2026 as a digital release. At the same time the compilation album "Diagonals: An Anthology (2020 - 2026)" was made available on CD, a self released production that collects 2 mini-albums and two EPs and makes them available in a physical format for the first time.

Analysis.
The greater majority of this compilation feature material Campbell has written and recorded all by himself. These are the compositions from the mini-albums "Diagonals" (2026), "Journey Into Space" (2022)  and the EP "The Forest Dwellers" (2020).

And we do get to experience three slightly different sides to Campbell and the landscapes he explores on the different productions these songs are pulled from too.  With the elegant, wandering and plucked acoustic guitar being an obvious constant throughout, and Campbell's excellent feel for the use of softer and firmer notes and resonances are played out in as tantalizing and intriguing manner as always.

The material from "Diagonals" tends to be a little more light in tone, with a melancholic twilight kind of mood with detours into more sorrow-filled landscapes being a bit of a presence here. Some Latin oriented details add a subtle but distinct flavoring to some of these numbers too,  and the subtle majestic surges on a creation like 'Polarities' makes this composition into one of the highlights from this part of the compilation.

As one might expect, the material on the mini-album "Journey Into Space" has a tendency to come with a little bit more of an otherworldly feel to them. Careful electronic effects and occasional use of post-rock style guitar details, resonating notes and echoes all are used in a careful manner to give these landscapes a different mood and atmosphere that comes with more of an otherworldly than a cosmic feel to them, but still subtly but distinctly with a character of their own. Where the slightly more contrast-filled and fleshed out 'Denude' being a good place to start to get an impression for this part of the compilation.

The four brief cuts from "The Forest Dwellers" EP represent the most uplifting and jubilant creations on this compilation, with the one exception being melancholic and dreamladen rather than strictly uplifting. All of these brief forays striking me as being very much down to Earth creations on all levels.

To conclude this compilation album we get 5 compositions from the EP "Berlin Suite & Other Short Stories" that Campbell released as a collaboration with cellist Nicole Collarbone back in 2022. And while the cello only appears in three of the five compositions here, one of them is a 10 minute long affair. And for these three compositions in general and the longer 'Berlin Suite' in particular, we get the more sophisticated arrangements and layered, atmospheric laden and expressive landscapes I first encountered back in  2008 on the Neil Campbell Collective album "Particle Theory". Just as mesmerizing as back then, but arguably with more subtle arrangement choices and obviously a more minimalist instrumentation being in use on this newer material. But just as magical as the material on that album from bygone days is, and thus also being a more unique aspect of this compilation album.

Conclusion.
If you tend to enjoy a musician who is a master of his instrument, then Neil Campbell is a musician you should take the time to get familiar with. At least if you enjoy the acoustic guitar in general and that instrument being explored in a deft, subtle and careful manner with plenty of references to classical music and some towards jazz and rock. With layered arrangements, and effective use of resonances, echoes and careful electronic and percussion effects being the order of the day. A solid and exquisite production by a quality creator of sophisticated, elegant and atmospheric laden acoustic guitar driven excursions.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, October 2026

Links:
https://neilcampbell.music/