Their cool concoction of prog rock, stoner rock, and 60s psychedelia is an effective one and works superbly with respect to evoking scenes in the mind of the listener. Some of the more gentle, melancholy melody lines actually remind me of "Leaf and Stream" by Wishbone Ash...Read the full review by Jens Nepper at eternal-terror.com
Self-described as an alternative-progressive-pop-orchestra, that’s about as close a description as anyone might pin on them, which roughly translates to our inevitable conclusion: most music fans are going to find something to love about them.The strengths of MEER are multi-faceted. To begin with, there are not just one but two lead vocalists, each one surpassing what you’ll find in most of MEER’s peers. Their delivery is impassioned, artful and convincing. That one is a man and the other a women (siblings, in fact) adds even more to MEER’s wide-reaching arc. Then we have the additions of violin and viola to the traditional instrumentation of piano, guitar, bass and drums. A full orchestra indeed, rounded off with a well-balanced production which can make each member’s contributions sparkle. All of this promise would be beside the point without inspired material and in that regard MEER unquestionably succeed, having laid down 11 sumptuous original compositions and one re-invented cover song as a bonus track.Read the full review by Scott Medina at sonicperspectives.com
Some songs contain rock blast outs while others provide the calm of a foggy morning in the woods; all have their place in what eventually became a thematic dive into the depths of human emotion. Our take on it, anyway.
“Dwellers of the Deep” promises to serve up an exciting blend of both carefully planned and passionately jammed compositions encompassing everything WOBBLER has done up to now. These new musical directions will no doubt further enhance the quintet’s aural idiosyncrasies, and solidify the band’s burgeoning stature as one of the most exciting and interesting bands on the global music scene, independent of genre.
Side A contains two pieces at medium length showcasing the band´s mastery of dynamics and flow, with passages and themes veering from the scenic and serene to the downright rocking.Media/Samples
Side B opens with the welcome respite of four minutes serenity, cradling the listener in pastoral and mystic swathes of acoustic guitar, glockenspiel and gentle vocals before an album closing 19 minutes journey into the unknown with the band in full blast.
... inspired by the resurgence of 1980s electronica, new wave and movie scores, “A Day at the Beach” sees AIRBAG creating a powerful sound combining ethereal soundscapes with their signature guitar driven progressive rock.Media/Samples
“Fragments of the 5th Element” finds MAGIC PIE steering clear of the sterile perfection so often found amongst modern Prog bands in order to create an album with a slightly more unpolished sound, and a “rough around the edges” feel that gives it an added bite. From the genre-defying opener, to the epic 23 minute closer, MAGIC PIE clearly demonstrate just why they have become a household name amongst Prog Rock fans, and why this album has been worth the long wait.Media/Samples
Six epic songs clocking in at 51 minutes, built around the central themes of human relations and loss, written as a dialogue between two persons.
A Storm Is Coming is both heavier and more tender than the previous releases, and Bjørn Riis manages to majestically combine the art of rock, prog and atmospheric pop.
The band plays experimental rock with elements from post rock and metal as well as dream pop, trip hop and contemporary jazz. Their music balances on a fine line between the rough and the delicate. Bands such as Porcupine Tree, Mew, Massive Attack, Radiohead and Susanne Sundfør are strong sources of inspiration.Media/Samples
With “October After All” MARSH has come up with a beautiful, atmospheric, prog album that features both alternative rock and jazz elements.Media/Samples
Meticulously crafted, with an increased use of electronics and low bass frequencies, “False Memory Archive” is both darker and groovier that its predecessor, whilst still maintaining that familiar Oak sound, which is neither wholly progressive pop, nor progressive rock, but a happy amalgam of both.Media/Samples
Formed in 2018, and with a lineup whose pedigree includes bands such as as WHITE WILLOW, HENRY FOOL, ÄNGLAGÅRD, THE TIM BOWNESS BAND, WESERBANDLAND and NECROMONKEY, GALASPHERE 347 creates music on an epic, widescreen, scale, replete with a powerful and dynamic drum sound that intertwines itself with liquid bass lines, grinding guitars, mellifluous flute and lush analogue keyboards, the whole of which is topped off by passionate vocals. As can be expected from the varied geographical locations of members, GALASPHERE 347 draws from a variety of influences.Media/Samples
Together, these vastly experienced musicians seamlessly incorporate the technical spectacle of progressive rock with the distorted insistence of Krautrock, via the intimacy of the singer-songwriter’s oeuvre, to produce a three-track album that spans a total of forty minutes, or, as the band says, “Just about enough time to reach Jupiter at the speed of light”.