This EP is aptly titled. If you’re feeling starved of intense and immense prog-fusion brilliance, then you should do two things: Read more TMMP, and check out CHON. They’ll seduce you effortlessly with opening acoustic-centric track Super Potion, and leave you wondering what the fuck just happened by the time Knot is finished. Not bad for just two tunes. Read more…
Kyshera’s new album may be delayed until March 16th, but on this evidence it’ll be worth the wait. Although Kyshera really shine live, their tracks are more than enough to tide fans old and new over until their next face-to-face fix. Inertia is grim, gritty, and custom-designed to weld itself into your memory banks; a must-hear for fans of bands able to summon the gutsy and authentic attitude of classic alt-metal at will. Read more…
On this twelve-track long player, über-groovy bass maestro Stanley Clarke set out to have fun with some legendary friends – and a tangible sense of shared joy, excitement, and creative intentionality shines through every second of Up. After 40 solo albums, it’s safe to say that Stanley Clarke has established a signature sound all his own – and although long-time bass fans may feel that they know what to expect, there’s a genuine vibrancy and freshness on Up that marks it out as an exceptional album. Read more…
Although I’m a huge fan of Project RnL, and TMMP is all about negating musical boundaries, my first reaction to Expiration Date was something along the lines of “Just what the hell is this?!” Read more…
You have a choice here: Set your mind to ‘Blown’ now, or let this album do it for you. Alessandro Bertoni is an exceptionally talented composer – and on Keystone his own formidable keyboard skills are backed up by three legendary fusioneers in the form of Brett Garsed, Ric Fierabracci, and Virgil Donati. Expect grooves aplenty, cliffhanger staccato moments, and pristine production from first track Megas Alexandros Pt. 1: The Great Portrait alone. Read more…
On paper, an ode to a piece of gear (in this case Waves’ Codex synth) should really, really not work this well as a piece of music. But then again, Eyal Amir isn’t your run-of-the-mill composer. Theme From Planet Codex all but bursts with joy and cuteness, effectively representing the rapture of pure creative inspiration in almost exactly four minutes.
Listen up: This is the sound of a master at work. Read more…
I was first introduced to this album by Falsense – and now, let’s just say that I owe him a lot of drinks. I already spend much of my spare time listening to fusion and prog bands – many of whom have been written about in this very corner of the interwebs – and my standards have been driven consistently upwards by the outstanding contributions that have already come my way. Nonetheless, Father Figure meet (and frequently exceed) those standards with a borderline terrifying effortlessness. Read more…
When it comes to math-rock, ‘control’ is a key word. When odd time signatures, super-syncopated riffs, and all manner of other rhythmic tricks come into play, the results inevitably become difficult to suss out. In other words, the music feels unpredictable. Hyperactively labyrinthine. Out of control. Read more…
Weaponised bleeps and bloops. Gritty and filthy bass layers. Haunting synthetic melodicism. The kind of music that would haunt your dreams if you spent at least six hours playing retro arcade games and eating cheese before going to bed. A sense that you don’t really know what the fuck is going on, but you’re happy to stick around until you figure it out. Read more…
According to Mike TV, Sausage Hospital is “full of sick bangers”. As wrist-slicingly bad as that pun is, I actually agree with it. Read more…