Artist
Song
Time
Album
Year
Sonus Umbra
Antidentity
6:52
A Sky Full of Ghosts
2020
Arooj Aftab, Darian Donovan Thomas
Baghon Main
6:25
Vulture Prince
2021
Steve Unruh and Phideaux Xavier
Candybrain / The Sleepers Wake
5:10
Live @ Monforti Manor
2020
Big Big Train
Capitoline Venus
2:17
Welcome to the Planet
2022
Dead Space Chamber Music
Bryd one Brere (Bird on a Briar)
5:24
The Black Hours
2021
Marco Mattei
Would I Be Me
4:27
Out of Control
2021
Discipline
Before the Storm
15:34
Unfolded Like Staircase (2020 Terry Brown)
2020
The Order Of The 12
The Forest At Night
3:42
Lore Of The Land
2022
Nordic Giants
Convergence
5:23
Symbiosis
2022
A Sky Full of Ghosts
by Sonus Umbra
favorite track
Antidentity
Right off the bat, clear and clean complexity comes to mind with this release. Undeniably progressive rock, compiled by several multi-instrumentalists with thoughtful lyrics, sure to please discriminating fans of this genre. Every piece is executed masterfully, including a 20-minute epic that keeps one engaged from start to finish, which is no mean feat. Hard to pick a favourite, but certainly the opener, Antidentity, gives one an idea of what lies in wait here.
Vulture Prince
by Arooj Aftab
favorite track
Baghon Main
This is a gorgeous amalgamation of many styles, world, jazz, minimal and neo-classical. Strings, harp, flugelhorn, as well as piano, synth, drums, and double bass bring the sublimely warm vocals of the composer of these pieces a place to fit snugly into. Dreamy and tranquil are two words that come to mind for the majority of the presentation here.
Valerie Gracious, Steve Unruh, Phideaux Xavier: “71319 Live at Monforti Manor” Similar to the way “Stop Making Sense,” begins, this one is solo acoustic at first, with kalimba (perhaps), violin, guitar, flute and vocals, with the other principals joining in support on bass and vocals, during Set One. Set Two is all three, featuring Phideaux’s music, rearranged for the trio, in this continued acoustic setting.
Big Big Train: “Welcome to the Planet” The Progressive community is quite aware of the sudden, shocking loss of David Longdon. If his career had to end, this is a fitting release for it. Almost prescient, it would seem, with some of the lyrical content, but BBT always has an element of nostalgia to each release. As always, stellar vocals, arrangements and musicianship. Not a mystery why they have been a mainstay of prog for so long. Enjoy your time in the stars, David, until those you love join you. Favourite Track: Capitoline Venus https://bigbigtrain.bandcamp.com/track/capitoline-venus