Issue 2024-088
Legacy Pilots — Thru The Lens
Over the past 50 years I've experienced the marvel of flight in all kind of positions. Depending on destination and type of aeroplane this varied from being squeezed up tight with hardly any manoeuvrability and leg space, up to wonderfully comfortable and fine cushioned seats provided with plenty of room to lay my feet to rest. The catering enjoyed and served during those flying adventures offered a corresponding experience ranging from elementary basics onto healthy saturating meals accompanied by delicious beverages.
Imagine for a moment Legacy Pilots to actually represent an airline company with one aircraft to their disposal. Squad leader Frank Us once again welcomes Lars Slowak (bass), John Mitchell (guitar, vocals), Marco Minneman (drums), Todd Sucherman (drums), Finally George, and a host of other musicians on board. Then the exceptionally crafted and well catered for progressive rock of Thru The Lens envisions this aerodynamic plane to be fully furnished with the comfiest of chesterfields while a fantastic cabin crew makes sure you are served to an endless supply of luxurious nourishment and fizzy drinks as the journey proceeds. If this analogy gives the impression that Legacy Pilot's fifth album is seriously good then I've only half succeeded for it is indulgently great!
This is demonstrated with the magnificent Where The Pilots Meet and its sparkling take-off with incredibly catchy melodies and energising synths hovering over an impeccably contagious machinery of rhythms. The groovy composition is embedded with a sense of Genesis but soon after lounges in comfortably jazz fusion surroundings reminiscent of Pat Metheny and Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Nemesis is set in ominous darkness and influences of pop. This smooth operating song opens with catchy choruses and a meticulous song-focussed build-up that brings to mind Peter Gabriel and IQ's Are You Sitting Comfortably. This "seated position" actually proves rather hard to maintain. Shortly after the intricately construed bridge, Sucherman and Slowak's thriving rhythms and John Mitchell unleashed, set off for a delightful melodic end run highlighted by ravishing guitar work.
Mitchell also impressively returns in The Matter. In this occasionally sound effect enhanced song again compositional impressions of Gabriel emerge. Though this time around accompanied by notions of It Bites, thanks to Mitchell's voice and the pop-influenced melodies. And in likeness to Nemesis, this song also contains a delightful powerful ending, featuring a wonderful tempo change and mighty Minneman drumming in support of dazzling guitar work by Mitchell.
In between these two tracks Don't Chase The Rainbows is placed. This divine pot of progressive gold features Liza on vocals/harmonies. She expresses a groovy, sweet Sade smoothness, completed in emotional feel by elegant dynamics and symphonic elements. Ricky Garcia adds emotive guitar work. At times this song also reminds me of Mandoki Soulmates thanks to the vocal delivery by Us and the warming depth in arrangements achieved. In a way this also applies to the ballad The Inner Fire that gracefully glides on, with subdued acoustic jazz melodies, and set ablaze by a sublime solo from Steve Morse.
As great an effort Thru The Lens is so far, Legacy Pilots then for the final three tracks pull out all the proverbial stops.
Starting of this marvellous free flight of indulgent progressive magic are the four parts that make up the vastly impressive Cosmic Sea. Prologue opens with grand cinematic atmospheres and a propulsive theatrical symphonic passage in spirit of ELP and Cairo. A Poisoned Wasteland gently ripples on with melodies in direction of Genesis that the majestic voice of Jake Livgren (Emerald City Council) brilliantly steers towards memories of Kerry Livgren's Ground Zero. This recollection also firmly sticks to mind in Approaching Another World when, after a thrilling tornado of musical symphonies, Livgren's pure and emotional voice is joined in close harmonies by his daughter Lydia. The concluding A Toxic Result, Coordinates & Epilogue finally builds imposing momentum for a phenomenal towering finale of ELP symphonies and tantalising interplay along the lines of Transatlantic which Livgren's breathtakingly pure and emotional voice gloriously elevates into the highest of heavenly stratospheres.
In the successive Fooled Again, a jointly written Us/Livgren composition, Legacy Pilots temporarily navigate again towards easy approachable and infectiously groovy Protokaw and Toto with elements of jazz and complexity in arrangements. It is the perfect vehicle for Livgren to both channel his inner David Pack (Ambrosia) strength and lyrically share his native concerns while an emotional solo by Steve Rothery (Marillion) makes this prog moment greater.
Closing off, in what seems to have grown into a Legacy Pilots tradition, is the extraordinary The Professor and Me. I imagine Rush fans to raise an eyebrow (or two). Rest assured though that they can lower them in full concurring appraisal. Because what Sucherman showcases in this exceptionally crafted carousel of luxurious ELP/UK style also boarders on the mindbogglingly academically impossible.
Sucherman recorded his parts all in one take, the first one at that. He hits all the right notes and ghost notes for me. Which groovy elements of jazz, fabulous finishing touches by Us on keys and guitar, and a synchronised movement of East meets West that ascends into a grand rotary of combustible rhythms and keys-driven exaltation. It leaves me in a state similar to that of an overly ecstatic infant who has just piloted his first ever kiddy ride. I want to fly again, again and again with this mightiest of Legacy Pilots tracks until it's finally time to go home!
Grossing in dazzling performances, expert songsmithery, and perfect production values that spotlights every individual instrument and participating musician, Thru The Lens in once again an album that massively entertains from start to finish. As definite year list nominee Legacy Pilots with this album again defy several laws of aviation and showcase a steady skyward trajectory in every aspect. If they are able to maintain this breathtaking upward flight path then I'll seriously have to wing it next time in light of DPRP ratings.
As it turns out Legacy Pilots have recently landed their first ever gig as support act for Steve Rothery, the recordings of which Us plans to release on limited edition vinyl. Work on album number seven has already started, so I better start preparing. If only I knew a solution on how to successfully snap out of listening to this stunningly addictive and highly recommendable masterpiece of Thru The Lens which, many months after its reception, still excites and effortlessly captivates. What a marvelling brilliant album!
Lyra Messier — LP7
Lyra Messier describes herself as a 23-year-old independent queer musician from Ghent, Belgium, who composes, writes lyrics, sings, plays keys, and is a dab hand at programming percussion. Her new album LP7 is, if I'm adding up her Bandcamp releases properly, her seventh full length release. She says her influences on LP7 range from "a ton of different artists and genres, such as progressive rock and metal, Dutch hip hop and house".
The artists that have influenced her are, from the progressive side, Sigur Ros (she reworked their 1997 debut album Von in her own style for her previous release). She's also a huge fan of Steven Wilson, especially his Grace For Drowning album, and a fan of Bring Me the Horizon. I really like this last point that Lyra makes that she "makes dance music for the introverted". LP7 sees her taking her electro-prog sound to incorporate Dutch and Hebrew hip-hop.
The album opens with a short piece reflecting Lyra's obsession with trains. Treinsample which is an off-kilter opening of keys and bright guitar that is over a little too quickly. There is another short track also about trains, 16-25 Railcard Beat, all pulsing keys and samples, but it passes by ineffectually.
Lyra Messier (promo photo)
The lead single Doomscroll, a song about the black spiral you can get into on news feeds and social media, is a Kraftwerk, Underworld, recent Tangerine Dream swirl of motorik trance beats using very good sounding programmed drums (so much so I searched for a drummer credit but there isn't one), swirling sequencers and Lyra's British accented smoky half-sung, half rapped vocal. It may not be to your taste but a couple of plays won me over. There is also shining guitar of Jo Griffin on the coda. The guitar playing throughout is inventive.
But it's not all hip-hop inflections on LP7. There is the pop-edged alt-rock of Postcards For Your Echo Chamber with some lovely synth bass work. The mainly instrumental track Ashkelon is a cracker. A post-rock build and release of reverb laden electric piano and synths are joined by a Steven Wilson-like acoustic piano melody. It is released in a crescendo of bass, thumping drums and dirty guitar. It winds back down with some spoken word from Adon Hamor.
Electric piano also opens Supernova that moves along with an engaging medium tempo before it overflows with prog-punk energy until its conclusion. The personal politics of Passive Activist is supported by music that mixes hip-hop with a heavier, grinding guitar led section supported by piano and organ fills. A fine end to the album.
Lyra Messier's LP7 is another interesting outlier on the prog scene, much like the American duo Ontologics recent It's Safe To Say The Veil Is Thinning. LP7 may cause you to shrug in bafflement but give it a go there are many rewards here for the open-hearted and eared.
Past And Secrets — Another Day, Another Time
Past And Secrets is a one-man atmospheric djent project coming from France. Described as melancholic and airy and filled with catchy riffs and solos, it is a “real invitation to introspection”.
Initial reaction is positive. The EP is atmospheric and melodic, and while being djent-orientated, it doesn't suffer too much from the generic djent style of nothing more than down-tuned chugs. Although they are of course present, they don't detract from the quality of riffs.
The use of atmospherics and background melodies adds as well to help create an air of ambience and ethereal sounds, while the guitars and drums help add in some punches, while keeping the emotive prog vibe alive.
World does delve into the slightly generic riffs at times, but this is forgotten with the superb solo provided by Brian Bajak.
It is an interesting EP, and despite having a general dislike of djent myself, I did enjoy this and recognise it for how well it is written and performed. The production is superb, and musically it is very tight, technical and colourful in its execution. Despite being heavy, it is fairly accessible with a relatively fresh take on the genre.
An absolute must for fans of modern djent such as Periphery, Teseract or even Devin Townsend. I'm sure this has the potential to do well in that scene.
Snowdrops — Singing Stones (Volume 1)
Snowdrops return with the new album, their fourth, Singing Stones (Volume 1). The collective was founded ten years ago by the ever present duo of Christine Ott (Ondes Martenot, piano, xylophone) and Mathieu Gabry (piano, keyboards, electric hurdy-gurdy, vibraphone). They are joined on one track by previous collaborator Anne-Irène Kempf on viola. New to the team is Bartosz Szwarc on accordion for three tracks.
This new album continues their exploration of neoclassical, progressive electronica, darkwave synths melded together in a singular take on chamber music. Snowdrops say that Singing Stones is the first volume in a series that celebrates "slow time and long time" that have resulted in a series of ambient dreamlike atmospheres and, sometimes, magical soundscapes that are full of subtle gestures.
Snowdrops have structured the album around two long pieces. Crossing opens with synth washes and prepared style piano that tolls like an underwater bell. A piano melody moves it along with floating Ondes Martenot lines. Its tempo grows slowly to a mid paced lilt as the music becomes more forceful. Synths pulse like ship engines heard underwater as the piano speeds away. It becomes, to me, an intense lamentation for the souls lost making crossings. Ask not for whom the underwater bell tolls.
Snowdrops (promo photo by J.P. Rosenkranz)
The other long track, Arctic Passage, is also a journey across water. Nocturnal humming keyboards, slippery, icy Ondes lines meet church organ, followed by solos from the Ondes and synthesiser. A chilly invocation of ice melting and disintegrating into bergs. Threatening and dangerous in its beauty.
The first appearance of the Szwarc's accordion is on Ligne De Mica, a piece written for an art installation by the visual artist Léa Barbazanges. Inspired by the changing colours of the mica at different angles the music rises and falls as the Ondes slips over the foundation of synths and bass accordion. The most ambient work here.
Anne-Irène Kempf's viola returns on The Weather Project, a work that takes inspiration from a monumental installation by the artist Olafur Eliasson. Similar in feel and tone to the work the three did on their previous albums Volutes and Missing Island. The use of a backdrop of organ is a great touch on this.
The accordion comes into its own on The River and Dreamers park any folk-dance squeeze box prejudices at the door, its colour and timbres are subtle and are used in a dreamlike manner. It never feels out of place as it takes on the Snowdrops sound into new worlds.
Snowdrops' Singing Stones (Volume 1) is slow, long music for slow, long time. Uneasy, beautiful, beguiling and deserving of a close listen it is an album that rages quietly against the hectic and often hectoring headrush of modern living.
More Snowdrops on DPRP.net
Manta Ray
Volutes
Inner Fires
Missing Island
Solaris — Martian Chronicles III - I Or A.I.
Ballad Of Deluge suite: Prologue (5:17), Island Of Survivors (5:35), The ARK (4:18), Ballad Of Deluge (5:52)
Disc 2: Dream Valley suite: Welcome To The Collapse (1:52), Nightmares (6:52), Future Memories (7:12), Golden Raven (2:18), Dream Valley (8:44), Paradox (7:47), Monument (2:01), The Last Poem (1:53)
Could this be the best Solaris album yet?
It is probably the most consistent and satisfying release of their extensive discography.
It is undoubtedly the most stylistically diverse album that the band have ever created.
It is clearly Solaris' most impressive sounding and best recorded album so far.
It is certainly the bands most inventive and adventurous album to date.
Without doubt, the thoughts, and concepts explored in Martian Chronicles III I or A.I. are some of the most interesting, that have been associated with Solaris during their long history. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best performed Solaris albums. Every musician involved brings their "A" game to the proceedings.
Guitarist Csaba Bogdán's talent shines brightly and the tunes are vividly illuminated by his distinctive use of tone, crunchy riffs, expressive solos, and fluid embellishments. His skillfully performed and exciting solo in Shadows Of The Creators is a fine example of Bogdán's consistently excellent contribution.
Flautist Attila Kollár lights things up on the silver tube with a wonderful display of a range of styles. The album contains several splendid examples of adrenaline spiked flute prog rock. There are also a plethora of baroque inspired passages that flutter and flow with a subtly coloured elegance. These frequently create a warming graceful ambience.
Róbert Erdész' impressive array of keyboard sounds is at the heart of everything. In many ways, his evocative playing is the catalyst for the other players to imaginatively express themselves. His swirling and swishing tone shifting synth sound is central to much of the album's success. Erdész' use of a pulsating range of futuristic effects, including textured washes and droning tones, evoke an alternative landscape of desolate boulders, and scarlet swirling skies, tinted by the blood-red reflections of the moons of Mars.
The album is divided into three distinct suites, each reflecting a different aspect or story about Artificial Intelligence. Erdész is also an author, and he has written a story for each suite to accompany the release. These are in Hungarian and are available to purchase if anybody wishes to understand the conceptual backstory of the release. In a recent interview Erdész said that the central issue of the Martian Chronicles III stories is "whether AI will be the technological move that causes humanities demise, or will it be the opposite". Each of the stories has a different answer to this fundamental question.
However, the music speaks for itself and I certainly felt that this atmospheric album was able to point towards its overall subject and tell a story, without the aid of any extra accompanying literature. For example, The Golden Raven begins with a raft of menacing effects that conjure up thoughts of some sort of bustling high-tech industrial process.
The impersonal and dissonant futuristic element of the introductory section, morphs into a strident marching beat. Nevertheless, the unnerving effects of the introduction are more than offset by the emotive qualities of the human voice. The expressive chanted power of multiple voices, added an extra human dimension, as the piece progressed and journeyed towards its rousing vocal conclusion. The contrast with the pieces electronic characteristics is stark, and it is arguably this dichotomy of sounds that makes the piece so interesting.
The Golden Raven (check out the video) is a wonderfully executed inventive piece, its adeptly performed and presented. It has many different components within its short running time. The piece is by turns, dissonant, bombastic, and melodically rich. It manages to depict menace and hope in equal measures. In that process, it successfully creates its own imagery aided by the tunes kaleidoscopic canvas of distinctive and contradictory, human, and technological sounds.
The three suites are quite different to each other in style. In broad terms, the first suite Zoo Galactica, which was composed by Bogdan, can be compared to the style of Solaris at about the time of the release of the original Martian Chronicles album. Aspects of the suite are reminiscent of tunes such as Apocalypse, and When the Fog Descends. Consequently, Zoo Galactica is sure to please a broad number of Solaris fans. For example, check out the live performance of Inflection Point.This very enjoyable tune appears to possess stylistic traits, that signpost the early music of Solaris, (as originally witnessed in tunes such as Apocalypse, Óz and Mickey Mouse).
The second suite written by Kollar and Erdesz has a different feel. It frequently projects a cinematic quality. The extensive use of strings and particularly the cello in tunes such as, Prologue and the ARK gives it a different set of instrumental colours compared to the previous suite. Parts of it, reminded me of Kollar's work with Musical Witchcraft, and particularly his first solo release with that collective.
Other parts of this suite are reminiscent of the style Solaris developed for their Nostradamus release. This is probably due to the breathtaking choral parts in tunes such as, Prologue and markedly, during the enthralling climatic vocal sections of the very impressive and atmospheric the ARK. The more I have listened to this suite, the more I have appreciated its fiery elements and subtly reflective and melodic qualities.
The third suite Dream Valley was written by Erdesz. The style of this suite is more akin to Solaris', most recent output including Martian Chronicles 2 and particularly Nostradamus Returnity 2.0. This suite is probably my favourite of the three. It has some inspirational playing and is characterised by its imaginative soundscapes, overall diversity and dynamic use of light and shade It is heavy. it is beautiful, it is futuristic. It is disturbing, it is rousing, it is reflective. It is simply very good.
There are many standout moments in this consistently outstanding release. However, four compositions have lodged themselves firmly in my mind, and have become firm favourites.
One is from the Ballad Of Deluge suite and the others are from the Dream Valley suite. They are, Island Of Survivors, Nightmares, Future Memories and Dream Valley.
Accompanying this review (see the video below), there is a wonderful visual interpretation of Dream Valley. This piece is without doubt one of the strongest compositions of the album. Dream Valley has many contrasting parts and differing moods. Somehow, these diverse characteristics blend seamlessly and perhaps more importantly, make total sense within the context of the tune.
The lengthy duration of Dream Valley also offers many opportunities for it to develop and explore different directions. This enables the players to fully express themselves and project several moods. Consequently, it has several traits that grab, clutch, and caress the senses. These include, raspy flute lines, musical references to the original Martian Chronicles release, disconcerting vocoder interjections, ethereal choral sections, enchanting string passages, and not least of all a striking fretless bass part.
In this respect, Kisszabó Gábor tuneful bass tones during Dream Valley are stunningly beautiful. His role in Island Of Survivors is equally impressive.
Three bassists are used on the album and each of them brings a particular quality to the tunes that they are involved in. For example, Solaris' original bassist Attila Jata Seres provides some punchy bass lines in the ARK. However, most of the tracks feature Tamás Tompox Pócs on the bass. His input to the riff heavy Shadows Of The Creators is excellent. However, his immaculate sense of timing and rhythm also stands out in Nightmares.
Nightmares is a tune with lots of interplay between the players. It is probably my favourite example of the collective musical skills of the band on the album. Their collaborative playing as an ensemble in this piece is excellent. It begins evocatively with a strident and discordant synth and a jagged guitar riff. The flute is also prominent in many sections. Overall, it is a great example of hard-hitting flute prog rock. Satisfyingly, the tune also contains several recognisable motifs from the bands original Martian Chronicles piece. Nightmares is also a notable platform for László Gömör's busy drumming style.
The contribution of Gömör' adds a lot to the album. Several of the pieces end, or begin, with striking drum or percussion elements. His expressive and skilful use of the kit adds an extra rhythmic intensity to the harder hitting sections of the music and offers a gentle touch when necessary. Gömör's darbuka playing during the Ballad of Deluge suite adds a subtle set of exotic and earthy colours to proceedings.
Ference Raus was a member of Solaris in the early 80s and remains a member of the extended Solaris family. He was invited to play drums on a few pieces. His powerful contribution to the opening track Zoo Galactica and deft rhythmic playing on Inflection Point suits the style of those pieces perfectly.
In Future Memories, singer Zsuzsa Ullmann emotive wordless vocals contrast with the futuristic menace of the synth and the dramatic effects which dominates its opening section. Initially, I thought this tune was reminiscent of Erdész' Meeting Point album, but as it progressed, a host of other influences came to mind, including Pink Floyd, Focus and Jethro Tull.
The soaring vocals in the middle section of the piece work perfectly, offering a flawless counterpoint to Bogdán's free flowing and lyrical solo. As the tune travels towards its conclusion, it is embellished by an acoustic guitar. Its delightful soothing effects remain in the memory long after the tune has concluded.
My favourite piece in the Ballad of Deluge suite is undoubtedly Island Of Survivors. A snarling overblown flute introduces the piece. However, it soon morphs into an infectious blues based, innovative and inventive rocker complete with choral sections, frantic flute work, gorgeous bass parts, spiralling organ runs and a guitar tone that is irresistible.
Bogdán's slide technique, jangly playing and adjustments of volume and pitch creates a memorable impression. The concluding section of the Island Of Survivors is simply brilliant.
Overall Martian Chronicles III - I Or A.I. is a wonderful album and is a most welcome addition to the bands extensive discography.
If you are unfamiliar with Solaris' releases and are not sure where to begin, then you may find DPRP's comprehensive coverage of their albums helpful. Album Reviews Issue 2015-088 is a Solaris Special with reviews of many of their albums. Nostradamus 2.0 - Returnity was reviewed in 2021, and the Martian Chronicles III EP in 2022. However, I would suggest that you check out Martian Chronicles III - I Or A.I. first.
After all, it is probably the best Solaris album yet!
In fact, I think that it is absolutely stunning.