By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – In the sprawling landscape of contemporary avant-garde music, few connections feel as serendipitously aligned yet sonically distinct as the new partnership between Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti and American guitarist Bill Orcutt. The two experimental titans have officially announced the release of their debut collaborative long-player, titled Almost Waking, which is scheduled to arrive on May 22 via the Unheard of Hope label. This announcement marks a significant milestone for fans of improvisational and boundary-pushing music, bringing together two artists who have spent the last decade redefining the expressive potential of their respective instruments. To celebrate the news, the duo has released a two-song preview featuring the album’s title track and the evocatively titled “El inicio es cuestión de suerte.”
The genesis of Almost Waking is a testament to the power of digital community and the mutual respect that often exists between artists operating on the fringes of the mainstream. The collaboration was not the result of a calculated industry pairing, but rather a spontaneous outreach born from a shared admiration for one another’s craft. Mabe Fratti, whose rise within the Mexico City music scene has been nothing short of meteoric, has long cited Orcutt as a primary influence. Her fascination with his work dates back to his 2017 self-titled album, a record that stripped the guitar down to its rawest, most skeletal form. Fratti noted that she felt a profound connection to the visceral nature of Orcutt’s playing long before they ever exchanged a word. The realization that they would eventually collaborate was, in her words, a total surprise—a "crazy coincidence" that began with casual conversations on the internet.
For Bill Orcutt, the decision to reach out was sparked by a moment of vulnerability and recognition. After discovering that Fratti had included one of his records on a list of her personal favorites, Orcutt bypassed the usual channels of management and formal introductions. In a candid reflection shared on social media, Orcutt admitted to sending a proposal for a collaboration with a sense of urgency, humorously describing his approach as lacking "shame or dignity." His awareness of Fratti’s talent was further solidified by his longtime collaborator, drummer Chris Corsano, who had performed with the cellist and vouched for her incredible skill and creative depth. This endorsement, combined with their mutual fan status, set the stage for a year-long creative exchange that took place across international borders.
The production of Almost Waking was a remote endeavor, defined by the trading of digital files between Fratti in Mexico City and Orcutt in the United States. The process began with Orcutt sending a series of solo guitar recordings—skeletal, rhythmic, and harmonically complex sketches that provided a foundation for the compositions. Fratti, working alongside her frequent collaborator and Titanic bandmate I. La Catolica, took on the task of "deciphering" these ideas. The challenge lay in finding the melodic threads within Orcutt’s often jagged and unpredictable guitar lines. Together, they worked to develop harmonies and vocal arrangements that didn’t just sit on top of the guitar but moved in lockstep with it, ensuring that every cello swell and vocal inflection felt like a natural extension of Orcutt’s initial impulses.
One of the defining characteristics of the album, according to Fratti, is the deliberate use of space. In an era where experimental music can often lean toward the maximalist, Almost Waking appears to embrace a more restrained philosophy. Fratti explained that the goal was to allow the instruments to breathe, though she did admit to one exception where she leaned heavily into lush, shamelessly layered vocal harmonies. This tension between minimalism and melodic richness has resulted in an album that Fratti describes as having a distinctively "nostalgic vibe." It is a sound that looks backward and forward simultaneously, blending the ancient resonance of the cello with the modern, deconstructed blues of Orcutt’s guitar.
Mabe Fratti’s contribution to the project cannot be overstated. Since her move from Guatemala to Mexico City, she has become a central figure in a new wave of Latin American experimentalism. Her work often bridges the gap between the academic world of contemporary classical music and the grit of the underground experimental scene. Through her solo albums and her work with the group Titanic, she has demonstrated a unique ability to use her voice as both a source of traditional melody and a textural tool. On Almost Waking, her role as an arranger was paramount, as she sought to find the "harmonic possibilities" within Orcutt’s singular style.
Bill Orcutt, meanwhile, remains one of the most idiosyncratic guitarists of his generation. Since his days with the influential noise-rock duo Harry Pussy in the 1990s, Orcutt has carved out a niche that is entirely his own. Playing a four-string guitar and utilizing a style that feels both primitive and highly sophisticated, he has spent years exploring the intersections of blues, jazz, and free improvisation. His recent work, including the guitar quartet project Music in Continuous Motion, shows an artist who is increasingly interested in how individual voices can coalesce into a larger, more complex whole. His collaboration with Fratti represents a continuation of this exploration, moving away from the solitary nature of his solo work toward a more conversational mode of creation.
The two lead singles offer a glimpse into the diverse textures of the upcoming LP. The title track, "Almost Waking," serves as a perfect introduction to the duo’s chemistry, featuring a delicate balance of plucked strings and ethereal vocal washes. It captures the feeling of the title—that liminal space between sleep and consciousness where logic is fluid and atmosphere is everything. The second track, “El inicio es cuestión de suerte” (The beginning is a matter of luck), showcases a more rhythmic interplay, with Fratti’s cello providing a grounding force against Orcutt’s staccato guitar movements. The title itself seems to nod to the fortuitous nature of their partnership, suggesting that while the start may have been lucky, the resulting music is the product of rigorous effort and mutual understanding.
Both artists are entering this release on the heels of significant critical acclaim. Fratti recently saw her work with Titanic, specifically the album Hagen, receive widespread praise, with some publications already earmarking it as one of the definitive releases of the mid-2020s. Her ability to maintain such a prolific output while consistently raising the bar for her own creativity has made her one of the most watched artists in the experimental world. Orcutt, too, has remained remarkably active, with Music in Continuous Motion further cementing his status as a master of the guitar’s hidden frequencies.
As the May 22 release date approaches, anticipation for Almost Waking continues to build within the global independent music community. The album will be released through Unheard of Hope, a label known for its dedication to projects that defy easy categorization. For listeners, the record promises to be a journey through the "harmonic possibilities" that Fratti and Orcutt discovered during their year of digital correspondence. It is a testament to what can happen when two "crazy smart" and "super creative" individuals decide to bypass the traditional barriers of the music industry and simply create together.
In the end, Almost Waking is more than just a collection of songs; it is a document of a cross-continental friendship built on a foundation of strings and wood. It reflects a moment in time where technology allowed two disparate voices to find a common language. Whether through the nostalgic haze of Fratti’s harmonies or the sharp clarity of Orcutt’s guitar, the album stands as a reminder that the best music often comes from the most unexpected of coincidences. As Fratti herself noted, the experience was one of deep gratitude—a sentiment that is sure to be shared by audiences when the full record finally arrives this spring.