Francis Cofone & Markus Reuter have released a unique new record, featuring electric guitar paired with the classic ’70s string synth sound of the ARP Solina.
The album is musically excellent, bringing to the ’70s space rock of groups like Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd. It’s also a showcase of the sound of the Solina String Ensemble, since it is used continuously throughout the album.
Here’s what they have to say about The Solina Record:
“This album came into being almost by accident — one of those rare moments when time, space, and sound align in perfect harmony.
In May 2025, Frankie Cofone came to Berlin to record his second ambient guitar album at the legendary Hansa Studios, with me serving as producer. Over the course of the day, he recorded nearly three hours of extraordinary solo music — rich, spacious, and deeply personal.
As the night wound down, we realized we still had about an hour left in the studio. That’s when I noticed a vintage ARP Solina String Ensemble tucked away in the corner. We asked the engineer to patch it in, and without much thought or planning, Frankie and I began to play together. It was the first time I played a real Solina, and it was wonderful.
What you hear on The Solina Record is the result of that spontaneous session — a genuine, unfiltered moment of creation. The music is almost untouched, just as it unfolded that night. It holds a special place in our hearts, and we hope it will speak to yours as well.”
— Markus Reuter
You can preview the album below, and it’s available via Bandcamp:
Credits:
Francis Cofone: Electric Guitar
Markus Reuter: Solina String Ensemble
If you want to hear more music featuring the ARP Solina, check out Solina, by ambient synth artist Craig Padilla.
It would be nice to have this sort of thing for more synths.
I like how Moog has partnered with musicians on some of their recent synths to create tracks, videos and even complete albums that feature the new synth. This gives me a much better idea of what a synth can do than random patch demos. Most presets either try to recreate well-known sounds or a complex and try to show everything a synth can do.
That’s a nice diversion from the usual massive mixes. Stringers like the Solina have a serious stylistic time-stamp on them, but that’s part of the legend of those who used them. I agree that very instrument-focused pieces like this are welcome. It helps me to lean into what I have more deeply.
When I hear a Solina, I get instant Klaus Schulze/”Timewinds” chills. It won the prize for best classical album in France when it was released. I luv that.