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On John Gunther’s latest recorded adventure, “Tales from the Tank,” deep resonant layers of sound cascade, creating a rich and immersive ambient experience. Captured inside the Tank, a remarkable seven-story acoustic structure located in Rangely, Colorado, this collection of original compositions, familiar melodies, and improvisations inspired by the space itself is utterly transcendent.

For this solo project, Gunther employs more than 20 instruments, including a 10-foot overtone flute, bass flute, alto flute, contrabass clarinet, bass clarinet, and soprano and tenor saxophones. He also explores exotic wind instruments such as the Turkish Ney, Chinese Hulusi flute, Indian Bansuri flute, and Croatian Vojnice (double flute). The wind instruments are complemented by gongs, thumb pianos, bells, cymbals, and various percussion instruments, along with looping and electronic effects.

Mixed in Dolby Atmos, the spatial audio recordings illuminate the Tank’s unique acoustic environment,  placing the listener within its shimmering, cascading walls of sound. 

Reflecting on the experience, Gunther shares, “This was my first visit to the Tank so I was not quite sure what to expect – I had about 20 different wind instruments plus more whistles, percussion and electronics. The sound inside is rich and deep and out of your control!  One of the funnest things were the pops, hums, and vibration from the metal expanding, the wind,  a passing plane or truck – all to let you know that the tank and its surroundings are the ones calling the shots. The recording really captures the immensity of the space and the depth of the resonance.”

Originally built around 1940 as a railroad water-treatment facility, this steel tank was relocated to Rangely in the mid-1960s for a local utility company’s fire-suppression system, which was never implemented due to the underlying shale’s instability. Consequently, the tank remained empty, but the gravel base formed a gentle parabola, lending the interior a singular acoustical quality, perfect for Gunther’s exploratory soundscapes.