Gayle Ellett & The Electromags - 2024 - The Painted River of Light

(48:08; PeacockSunrise Records)

Track list:
1. The Illuminating Sands of Time 12:28
2. Deep Waters Glow Brightly 14:30
3. Frequency Modulation 10:39
4. The Rhodes to Discovery 10:31

Line-up:
Gayle Ellett - keyboards, guitars, sitar, bouzouki, soundscapes, effects
Mark Cook - bass, Warr guitar, soundscapes, effects
Craig Kahn - drums


Prolusion.
US band Gayle Ellett & The Electromags is the latest venture by US composer and musician Gayle Ellet, which in progressive rock circles may be better known for being a central member of long lasting US progressive rock band Djam Karet. Since 2002 this latest venture of Ellet has released three studio albums. The most recent of these is called "The Painted River of Light", and was released through US label PeacockSunrise Records at the start of 2025.

Analysis.
Instrumental progressive rock is the name of the game for this production, and in this case with long, complex compositions being the default feature: All of the compositions clock in at beyond the 10 minute mark here. An additional feature is that the landscapes explored have a distinct vintage inspired mood, sound and atmosphere. This is music that sounds like it could have been made back in the 1970s sometime.

Here we get numerous dreamladen escpades for starters, with the more mournful tones of the Mellotron as well as the more ethereal textures created by what sounds like vintage era keyboards. Sequences of a mores dramatic nature are a part of the experience too, both in terms of quirkier and more challenging sequences in the individual compositions but also as a bit more of a purebred feature like on 'Frequency Modulation'.

Elements from jazz and jazzrock sneak into these escapades, and we also get floating landscapes of a more eerie nature and expression of the kind that does remind me of good, old King Crimson - as well as aforementioned Djam Karet. But also darker toned displays where the electric guitar is more prominent in the creation of more ominous moods and atmospheres, and again with King Crimson and Djam Karet as, for me at least, natural points of reference.

In between all of this good stuff this band will also add a little bit of a folk music and Americana flirt, and while not a feature in all of the compositions it is an aspect of this album that does add a bit of personality. Music the same can be said about the bluesier, Floydian landscapes alternating with quirkier, Crimsonian and jazzrock inspired details on the concluding 'The Rhodes to Discovery'.

I find that there is a good balance between the more careful and dreamladen territories we get to experience on this production and the more expressive and challenging displays. Where the compositions explore landscapes made for the heart just as much as for the mind if you like. And as with everything that Ellet is involved with, the mix and production is impeccable. In this particular case perhaps the one element that comes in a more contemporary guise rather than a vintage sounding one.

Conclusion.
Gayle Ellet & The Electromags have made themselves yet another rock solid album with "The Painted River of Light". This journey into the instrumental progressive rock realm will give plenty of joy to those who will never tire of hearing the sounds of yesteryear being used to construct new landscapes to explore, with plenty to enjoy for those interested in the music itself rather than specific sounds, moods and atmospheres. A balanced display of compelling, dreamladen landscapes, more ominous and darker toned displays and passages with a more quirky or expressive nature is what we get here, and for most people who find such a description alluring I rather suspect that this album will be quite the enjoyable experience.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, February 2025

Links:
https://gayleellettandtheelectromags.com/
https://peacocksunriserecords.com/