Coated with elements to make this one of the best progressive albums of the year, Morpheus Project are set to release their elevating new album ‘Mozaick’ on March 19th. With previous singles ‘Cry for Freedom’ and ‘Nights to Remember’ on the release, the highly anticipated debut album is an energetic introduction into the mind of musical director Mustafa Khetty. Receiving rave reviews from the likes of Prog Magazine, Scala Radio, Classic FM and BBC Introducing, ‘Mozaick’ is a force to be reckoned with in the industry and issues itself with importance to be heard.
An expansive release that showcases Morpheus Project’s diversity, the musicianship within the album is breathtaking. Featuring talented musicians throughout the release, Morpheus Project are a collective specialising in creating music without boundaries. Exceeding any expectations and walking with it’s head held firmly high, ‘Mozaick’ has something for everyone. Showcasing Mustafa’s Indian classical roots, a progressive rock side, a realm of experimental juices and fusion thrown into the mix too, ‘Mozaick’ is unapologetic and free-spirited.
A reflection of Mustafa’s personal endeavours, life experiences and observations as a whole, there’s elements of intimacy within the album that draws listeners in even further. A reflective album that will make you sit and think, ‘Mozaick’ doesn’t follow your typical rulebook – and that’s what makes it even more impressive.
Cobalt Chapel, Orange Synthetic, Klove Recordings, January 29, 2021 Tracks: In Company (4:27), The Sequel (3:49), Message To (3:18), A Father’s Lament (3:41), Our Angel Polygon (4:32), Cry A Spiral (4:53), It’s The End, The End (5:26), Pretty Mire, Be My Friend (4:04), E.B. (2:15), Orange Synthetic (6:21)
Yorkshire, UK, duo Cobalt Chapel recently released their second album, Orange Synthetic, and it’s a wonderful contemporary progressive take on the psychedelic music of the 1960s. It has fresh production values with lush textures and glowing vocals. So who are Cobalt Chapel? Cecilia Fage (from Matt Berry & The Maypoles) and Jarrod Gosling (from I Monster). Gosling also happens to make the album artwork for Tim Bowness‘ solo albums.
Fage’s vocals are the clear centerpiece of the album, and her voice is absolutely stunning. It’s treated with some echoey effects that give it a choral feeling, which matches the aesthetic implied by the band’s name. The album sounds fantastic, with the vocals and music clear, clean, and distinct. The various organs and keyboards are the primary musical sounds, with their textures swirling around the listeners head as Fage sings in the center. The guitar, drums, and soft bass complete the psychedelic sound. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better-sounding album out today. It is mixed very well with everything easy to pick out. Nothing is muddled. You can even make out the clicking of keys or buttons on whatever instrument Gosling is playing at the end of “A Father’s Lament.” There’s a slight hum in the background at that point which makes you feel like you’re in the room with him as he closes out the song. The whole record is really a pleasure to listen to.
There are folk elements to the music, with the album being influenced by Yorkshire itself. The song “E.B.” sounds the most folky, with instruments kept to a relative minimum and Fage’s voice carrying the brief track. Overall though the music retains a psychedelic vibe through heavy use of keyboards and organs, along with very 60s-sounding drums and guitars. The music is much more upbeat than the type of psychedelic music I’m more familiar with, though. It isn’t as spacey, although there are times when it sounds like they’re about to launch into the spacier side of this corner of rock music. They never quite get there all the way, except for on “Cry A Spiral,” which is the spaciest track on the record. Even on that song the ending is heavier and more lush-sounding, ending with a light touch of saxophone and various organs. Melody takes a central position on the album, which is perhaps what makes this album so appealing on repeated listens. You’re left feeling refreshed after listening to Orange Synthetic.
If I had to make one complaint, it’s that I would have preferred some longer extended instrumental sections. The end of the first track, “In Company,” breaks into what sounds like it’s going to be a wonderfully psychedelic Floydian soundscape, but then it breaks off suddenly. The second track similarly fades out as it enters an instrumental passage. The third track does the same thing. It drops into the beginning of a 1960s-style psychedelic mood, yet it cuts off after a few brief seconds. At about 43 minutes in length, I think there’s room on the album for some longer musical exploration. They set the listener up for it, but they leave me longing for that instrumental space to breathe.
The title track, which ends the record, is the longest on the album at over six minutes, and it has a longer instrumental passage in the middle that feels much more natural for this kind of music. When Fage’s vocals kick in again after that passage, I’m left satisfied. In that regard the song is the perfect ending for the album. I just wish more of the songs on the album more generously balanced the instrumental side of this style of music with Fage’s beautiful vocals by having more extended musical passages.
I highly recommend Cobalt Chapel’s sophomore album, Orange Synthetic. It’s a refreshing blend of upbeat psychedelic music with stunningly beautiful vocals presented with choral overtones. The music is accessible, yet complex enough to reward on repeated listens. Cobalt Chapel have masterfully brought the psychedelic sounds of a bygone era into fresh territory for a contemporary audience.
This is probably the only time I’ll have a legitimate reason to use this cool new WordPress feature.
Transatlantic have reached the ripe old age of 21, and with that they’ve released a brand new album. Wait, that isn’t right. They’ve released two brand new albums. Well, no, they haven’t really done that either. What they have done is released two versions of one album: one at ~65 minutes and the other at ~91 minutes. The Absolute Universe: The Breath of Life is the short one, and The Absolute Universe: Forevermore is the long one. For the sake of clarity (both mine and yours), I’m going to refer to the albums as the extended version and the abridged version.
Now why on earth, you may ask, would a band want to release two different versions of an album? Excellent question. I was a bit miffed when Big Big Train did it with Folklore (the vinyl and Hi-Res audio version was longer with some tracks from the Wassail EP and a slightly altered track listing), and I’m a bit miffed that Transatlantic has done it. Apparently the band couldn’t come to an agreement on whether they should release a longer version of what they had written or a condensed version, so they decided to release both.
The abridged version is $9.99 on iTunes, while the extended edition is $16.99, so it’ll cost you just under $30 to buy the downloads. You may need to take out a loan to buy physical copies. And don’t think you can get away with buying just the extended version thinking you’ll just get the abridged version plus some extra tracks. Nope they’ve gone and changed things in the tracks that overlap, so in many ways they’re very different. There’s also a third version on Blu-Ray only that combines the two into a ~96 minute version. Good grief. I haven’t heard that version, nor do I intend to.
If you’re going to buy only one of them, I suggest you buy the extended version. It has a much better flow to it with smoother transitions than the abridged version. Even though it’s longer, it isn’t packed with filler. To my ear it sounds more like a Transatlantic album. There are more songs with Roine Stolt on lead vocals. Yes of course he sings on the abridged version, but he sings less in the second half of that album. That makes the abridged version seem to morph into a Neal Morse album as it comes to a close. “Lonesome Rebel” towards the end of extended version remedies that by restoring some balance. In addition to Roine’s stellar vocals, the mix of wonderful electric and acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies really makes this track stand out.
Simon Collins, Becoming Human, 2020
Tracks: 1. Into the Fray (1:18), 2. Becoming Human (4:17), 3. The Universe Inside of Me (6:56), 4. Man Made Man (4:32), 5. This is the Time (3:55), 6. Thoughts Become Matter (5:05), 7. I Will Be Waiting (7:27), 8. No Love (4:02), 9. Living in Silence (4:09), 10. 40 Years (4:18), 11. So Real (4:28), 12. Dead Ends (9:06)
No stranger to the music industry due to his music legend father Phil Collins, Simon Collins takes centre stage in empowering album ‘Becoming Human’. There’s no doubt that songwriting flows through his veins, and the latest release from Simon Collins completely confirms this.
Known for performing in band Sound of Contact, Simon’s solo project was produced by keyboardist and sound designer Robbie Bronniman, and features one of the key players from SoC. Released via Frontiers Records, this refreshing album pays odes to the greats while layering it’s authencity on the table. Crossing through realms of pop, industrial and rock, there’s no need to completely label the sound of this album.
Having gained support from Prog Magazine and sites across the globe, ‘Becoming Human’ features 12 tracks of progressive music with subtle fragrances of futuristic electronica in it’s mix. Exploring lyrical themes such as personal loss, addiction and the nature of our place in the universe, the relevant album is speaking to thousands across the globe due to the current state of the world.
Led by leading singles ‘Becoming Human’ and ‘The Universe Indie of Me’, this album is one of those releases that needs constant plays to fully experience it’s journey. A rollercoaster ride through elements of nostalgic prog, there’s nudges to artists such as Vangelis, Genesis, Peter Gabriel and Steven Wilson within the release, while still holding onto it’s authenticity. Commenting both on Simon’s personal feelings, the relatable album is something that can speak to many.
During these uneasy times for the globe, we’re left questioning what is real, and what it truly means to be a human. ‘Becoming Human’ requires your gaze and will captivate you into a realm of thought-provoking feelings. A true asset in the progressive world, Simon Collins could be as huge as his dad.
Today the mighty Big Big Train released the remixed edition of their 23-minute epic, “The Underfall Yard,” in advance of the reissue of their 2009 album on April 9. First impressions – the mix sounds warmer with more prominent bass. The big guitar solo is also different, although I’m not exactly sure why. I think I prefer the original solo better. Lovely video to go along with the track, though.
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Before we get into the review itself, I want to be clear that I have the upmost respect for Steven Wilson. No matter what I think of The Future Bites, I am not calling into question Wilson’s integrity as a musician, writer, producer, or artist. Everything he does, he does well. This go around he decided to make a pop album, and the pop world certainly has much to learn from Steven Wilson. This is pop in the vein of Tears for Fears or Talk Talk, so if you like those bands, you may like The Future Bites. I don’t particularly enjoy those bands, although I respect them. I also want to make clear that I don’t see what Wilson is doing with this album as being just like what Genesis did after Steve Hackett departed. Genesis sold out and started writing boring trash, both musically and lyrically. Wilson’s lyrics and themes on The Future Bites lead the listener to reflection. This is far from “selling out.” Watching some recent interviews with Wilson only confirmed for me that Wilson is an honest man. This album is incredibly self aware, which I’m sure made this a very vulnerable album for him to make. With all that said, let this long review begin.
Perhaps not surprisingly The Future Bites is doing rather well in the charts, particularly in the UK (number 4 overall as of this writing). It’s wholeheartedly a “pop” album, whatever that actually means. I recall thinking that 2017’s To The Bone was a pop album when it came out, but going back to it now I see that it has far more in common with Wilson’s previous solo work than it does with The Future Bites. There are a few moments on To The Bone that clearly connect with this album, but overall it was a rock album.
Contrarily the remnants of what could be called “rock” are pretty much gone on The Future Bites. That doesn’t necessarily mean Wilson will never return to a traditional progressive rock sound, but he has said in interviews that he isn’t interested in making progressive rock music right now. As to why, well, we can only speculate. Some might say he’s making a lot more money doing this, but I don’t think that is what’s going on here. I think he’s tired of doing what he’s done before, and he’s pushing himself into new territory that reflects the kind of music he enjoyed when he was growing up.
For the most part the album sounds quite stunning. Not musically. Musically it’s nothing special at all, like most pop. It’s still more musically exceptional than 99% of what passes for pop these days, but compared to an album like Hand. Cannot. Erase., it pales. The actual mixing of the record is quite fantastic, apart from the vocals on “Count of Unease,” which sound like they were recorded in a college dorm bathroom. This record is Wilson’s first time mixing in Dolby Atmos. I’d love to hear the album on a good Atmos system, but I don’t have one of those. Even so the regular stereo mix sounds crystal clear, and there is a lot of depth to the various sounds he employs.
It’s really many of those sounds he chose that I take issue with. He leans heavily into electronic music, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. One of my favorite newer bands, Oak, uses elements of electronic music, and I know Wilson has done that before in the past, but Oak and Wilson always left the rock elements in tact. Without the rock, it leaves much to be desired. I don’t know much about electronic music, but I know there are artists and composers who specialize in and excel at it. On The Future Bites it feels like Wilson is using the electronic aspects in the same way he has in the past, but without the rock the album feels like it’s missing something. The other issue I have with the record is some of Wilson’s vocals.
Absolutely brilliant news from Big Big Train. After teasing us regarding a reissue of 2009’s The Underfall Yard for the past couple years, Big Big Train is finally giving it to us in April! It’ll contain the original album plus a second CD of extras, including two brand new tracks. It’ll also be released on vinyl for the first time in addition to the two-CD digipack. More from the band after the jump: Continue reading “Big Big Train Announce “The Underfall Yard” Reissue”→
Listening to the new track, “Your Final Act,” by XSKULL8 got me feeling a little nostalgic. This is the kind of metal I used to listen to more often about ten years or so ago, and while I’ve drifted more into strictly prog and prog metal territory, this song has just enough of a djent edge in the guitars to make it quite appealing. The vocals are rock solid in the cleans and in the distortions. It’s heavy, and it has a pounding groove. I think I would definitely enjoy a whole album like this track, perhaps with a little more musical exploration and extended instrumental passages. But XSKULL8 are a good reminder that rock and metal are far from dead.
SomeWhereOut – Deep In The Old Forest, January 15, 2021
Tracks: 1. Prelude – The Stories (1:40), 2. Blood, Bones and Fear (5:08), 3. Mara (3:38), 4. Someone With No Name (6:55), 5. Our Promise (4:07), 6. Interlude I – Covenant (1:07), 7. The Fallen One (8:33), 8. You and I (6:00), 9. The Midnight Bell (5:21), 10. The Crystal Mountain (4:29), 11. Interlude II – Winter (1:14), 12. The Old Forest (14:49)
Classically-trained Spanish guitarist, composer, and music teacher Raúl Lupiañez has long held a love for rock and metal. His formal training in both guitar and composition is immediately clear on his latest SomeWhereOut album, Deep in the Old Forest. He is the primary musician for the group, handling guitar, all of the keyboards, and most of the bass. Francisco Garoz plays all of the drums, and there are a few other players who contribute guitar and bass solos as well as violin and other string work. There are also eight vocalists featured on the album.
Deep in the Old Forest transcends progressive and atmospheric elements while remaining a thoroughly metal album. At points the verses on songs will be more sedate before pounding into a more straight-forward metal or prog metal chorus. There are symphonic elements as well, but I wouldn’t label SomeWhereOut a symphonic metal band because the strings are used more in the way Steve Hackett uses them on his albums. They add atmosphere when needed, but they aren’t the driving force in the music. I think a symphonic metal band places almost equal importance on the symphonic elements and the metal elements.
The album is full of musical surprises. For instance the light accent of Spanish-style acoustic guitar strumming behind the wall of metal guitars on parts of “Bloods, Bones and Fear” is a nice touch. The solo violin parts add a calmer reflective touch. The violin on “Our Promise” even reminds me of Rachel Hall’s work with Big Big Train. There are many moments across the album, particularly in the keyboards, bass, and some of the guitar solos, that remind me of Steven Wilson’s more progressive solo albums. Apart from the vocals, which sound nothing like Wilson, the track “The Fallen One” could have come off Hand. Cannot. Erase.
Get ready for an instrumental musical joyride. Genoa, Italy-based band, IKITAN, hit the studio in the summer of 2020 to record a twenty-minute and twenty-second long rockfest, aptly titled “Twenty-Twenty.” The band features Luca Nash Nasciuti on guitar and effects, Frik Et on bass and effects, and Enrico Meloni on drums. They produce a much larger sound than their numbers suggest.
The track is a heavy tour de force for the first 11+ minutes before a slow-down just under 12 minutes in for a brief interlude of sorts. The song gradually builds back up over the next two minutes. While the first half of the song is guitar-driven, the second half seems to be more bass driven. The fantastic drumming pulls it all together throughout.
For an instrumental track “Twenty-Twenty” really takes you on a journey. It’s heavy, but in more of a Deep Purple way than an Iron Maiden way. With that said there are elements of psychedelic rock and space rock, but played at a much heavier and quicker tempo. The musicianship is top notch, and while the song has a sort of musical jamming vibe to it, the musical talent on display keeps the music flowing in an organized fashion. There are multiple movements and changes throughout the track. The twenty minutes flies by without you realizing you were going so fast.
And just look at that album art! One of the best record covers I’ve seen in a while. It screams heaviness, rage, and frustration – a perfect summary of the year 2020. It’s a great cover for an instrumental track that is pure hard rock in the most honorable sense of that description. It’s wholeheartedly progressive, but it isn’t trying to be overly complex. It just plain rocks.
Progarchy 