The Cortina Protocol - 2023 - The Cortina Protocol [mini-review]

(37:59; Subsound Records)

UK band The Cortina Protocol are out with the album "The Cortina Protocol", and progressive rock is the style explored on this production. This album is quite the expressive creation, with a band that really have set out to challenge a few boundaries and conventions. Twisted and distorted sounds that create a very distinct psychedelic expression is a key element throughout, and floating sound textures that add a defined cosmic feel is a vital ingredient in that particular context. Off kilter and often gentle noise fragments are a part of many of the arrangements, and as undercurrents we have disharmonic elements that adds a little bit of a free form jazz flavoring to these escapades. With everything backed by tight, energetic and expressive rhythms that comes with a repetitive hypnotic execution combined with a bit of a jazz-inspired orientation. In many ways I'd say that this album has a krautrock feel to it, the kind of album one might get if a technically gifted free form jazz band decided to have a go at early 70's krautrock of the kind that was made in Germany in that specific time period. If you have a general interest in instrumental krautrock and tend to fancy music of that kind that is explored by technically gifted musicians on an album with a polished and balanced mix and production, I would suspect that you should find this album to be a rewarding experience.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, November 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/thecortinaprotocol
https://subsoundrecords.it/