High Fidelity Review readers are very familiar with Opus 3 as one of the pioneers in Super Audio CD and DSD recording in Europe. Helmed by Swedish audiophile producer and engineer Jan-Eric Persson, the label has issued over 20 Super Audio CDs to date from analog and Direct Stream Digital (DSD) master tapes that have won wide acclaim for their sonic quality.

Pathfinder
Bert “East” Ostlund
Surround Sound SACD/Stereo SACD/CD Audio
(Opus 3 CD 22061)

Bert Ostlund, or “East” as he is known by some, is a well known guitarist that was born in Finland. He started his musical career in a rock band in Finland in 1964. During the ’70s and ’80s he was in demand as a guitarist, pianist, composer and musical arranger. In the 1980’s he formed the pop group 7th Heaven and released several records with that group. In recent years, he built a recording studio and broadened his musical activities to include record producer and engineer.

Opus 3 describes the album by saying that “The breadth and range of styles, techniques and genre of Pathfinder makes it a unique guitar album in the sense that it cannot be labelled – Though ‘the complete guitar album’ could be considered even though this was not the original aim. Bert “East” Цstlund’s musical journey takes us not only to Detroit and Nashville in the USA and Newcastle in England but also to Rio and Paris! The music has all been composed and arranged by ‘East’ himself with music of outstanding quality and featuring his considerable collection of guitars both acoustic and electric and where the Telecaster and Strat play leading roles.”

Pathfinder is an original DSD recording using the Sonoma DSD Workstation, 2 Genex GX 8500 Recorders and the EMM Labs Meitner ADC8 and DAC8 MK IV DSD converters. The album was produced by Roger Ekman, engineered by Jan-Eric Persson and mastered by Thomas Eberger and Jan-Eric Persson at Cutting Room AB. The Hybrid Multichannel SACDs were made by Sonopress in Germany.

The album features 14 songs that were composed and arranged by the artist. The album’s 4.1 Surround Sound mix by Roger Ekman, Jan-Eric Persson and Bert Ostlund is ambient in nature, focusing the listener’s attention on the sound stage in the front channels. The SACD format does a fine job here of capturing the detail of Ostlund’s guitar playing as he covers a variety of musical genres with 8 different types of guitars as well as his playing on piano. Standout tracks include Spanga Station (track 9) which does a great job of capturing the drummer’s brush strokes at the opening of the tune and Guitar Stumble (track 13) which uses a very wide front channel soundscape to capture Ostlund and the band’s playing.

Album Selections
1. Pathfinder
2. Paddle Steamer
3. Cafe Oasis
4. Calm Beach
5. Le Petit Pain
6. Reflections of the Sun
7. The Milky Way
8. Cliffhanger
9. Spanga Station
10. Poco Loco
11. Au Revoir
12. Sweet Talkin’
13. Guitar Stumble
14. Snow Crystals

Album Musicians
Bert “East” Цstlund – All guitars (Telecaster, Stratocaster, Guild, Danelectro, Levin, Washburn, Gibson and Gretsch), Piano and Fender Rhodes
Janne Robertson – Chimes, Congas, Shaker and Tambourine
Peter Forss – Double bass
Hux Flux Nettermalm – Drums