After what feels like an exceptionally long, cold winter, Steve Dawson offers a glimmer of sunshine with Gone, Long Gone, a pandemic-recorded album that reverberates with life, passion and feeling. Despite the modest tone — there's not a whiff of pretension to be found — Dawson's album is a triumph. Fans of the guitarist and producer will not be disappointed, and newcomers will be floored by the sheer talent on display.

Gone, Long Gone is the Juno-winning musician's first collection of songs since his 2016 album Solid States and Loose Ends, and the album is more than worth the wait. Dawson wrote (or co-wrote) nine of its 10 songs, in addition to producing, recording and mixing. Featuring a roster of talented musicians, including Grammy nominee Allison Russell, his latest release is a masterclass in independent music production.

Gone, Long Gone is coherent and consistent without feeling repetitive or tedious. There's a common personality connecting the tracks, which are all unique and interesting. It can be difficult to balance versatility in a collection of songs without sacrificing cohesion, but Dawson pulls it off flawlessly. His passion centres an album that defies genre convention — with "roots" or "folk" feeling the most apt, although "blues" or even "singer-songwriter" feel equally appropriate.

Effortlessly sliding from joyful to mournful and back again, Gone, Long Gone is a fully realized album that exudes creative energy. The opening song "Dimes" is a funky blues piece with a great hook and punchy horns. The penultimate track, "Cicada Sanctuary" is a stripped-down instrumental that's just Dawson playing guitar — and it's fantastic.

"Kulaniapia Waltz" is surprising instrumental that leans into the Hawaiian string sound to great effect. Both "King Bennie Had His Shit Together" and "Bad Omen" are fun and full of personality. "Gone, Long Gone" is a wistful acoustic song, featuring just the right amount of strings and pedal steel. The ending track, "Time Has Made a Fool of Me," is the softest and most contemplative of the batch. It's a bittersweet note to end on, but not unpleasantly so.

That these very different-sounding songs are equally compelling speaks to just how phenomenal Dawson's artistry is on Gone Long Gone. (Black Hen)