Steve Tibbetts - Life Of
The latest Steve Tibbetts album is very meditative, probably good for the last song of the evening with the lights very low, but everyone will leave impressed. I have the 24bit - 88.2kHz album from HD Tracks.
Life Of is Stereophile's Record of the Month - 5 stars for performance, 5 stars for sonics
The Stereophile article is a good read:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/recording-july-2018-life"Tibbetts primarily records in his self-built studio, using two microphones, a Mojave and a Neumann, set up to record an acoustic guitar. "They haven't moved in years. Using an unmatched pair seemed like the right thing to do. The Mojave worked well at the 12-string's sound hole, the Neumann made a home looking at the 12th fret." He also resists EQ or compression, the tradeoff being that "the music can sound a little dull, like the speakers are wrapped in muslin."
"This mannered approach has resulted in a soft, glowing sound that manages to capture plenty of detail and character across a deep, wide soundstage. Some moments—as when Anderson adds a deep drum pulse, then moves to a hazy wash of cymbal—will flex your speakers or headphones, and add just the right amount of grunt to keep it interesting."