Irish musician John Lambert has been quietly crafting his music under the moniker Chequerboard for some time now.

“Largely based around Lambert’s gorgeous acoustic guitar playing and beautifully textured electronica these wondrous pieces of music are further fleshed out by the inclusion of fleeting and occasional ghostly vocals and mournful cello lines which together create a mood and feeling that is intoxicating. If you are a fan of some of Post Rock’s quieter exponents, or the minimalist ambient classical music of artists like Max Richter, Johann Johannsson or Olafur Arnalds, Lambert’s music will have instant appeal.” *

He released his debut album Gothica in 2002,  followed by Penny Black in 2008 on Irish alternative label Lazybird, an album that helped forge his identity as an artist with a unique vision. The reviews for that album were universally positive; he has subsequently released his third album, The Unfolding in 2013 which features legendary producer Ken Thomas (Sigur Ros, Cocteau Twins) on mixing duties and it has been described as a record of serene and shimmering beauty. Each of its nine pieces are as delicate, detailed and purposeful as a Japanese garden.

With a growing listenership amongst fans of modern classical and ambient, Lambert continues the pattern of emerging every few years with a new carefully crafted chapter in the unfolding Chequerboard story.

* Excerpt from review of ‘The Unfolding’ by Paul Page for Entertainment.ie. (View here)