Flame Dream - 1981 - Out in the Dark

(41:02; Flame Dream [2025 Edition] )

Track list:
1. Full Moon 5:22
2. Nocturnal Flight 5:33
3. Out in the Dark 9:29
4. Wintertime Nights 4:04
- Strange Meeting:
5. Part One 9:06
6. Kaleidoscope 5:37
7. Part Two 1:51

Line-up:
Pit Furrer - drums, percussion, tapes
Roland Ruckstuhl - piano, organ, keyboards, sequencer, vocoder
Peter Wolf - vocals, flute, saxophones, percussion
Urs Hochuli - bass, pedals, vocals
with:
Dale Hauskins – guitars


Prolusion.
Swiss band Flame Dream was formed back in 1977, and in the band's initial run as an active band unit they released 6 studio albums prior to disbanding in 1986. A few years back the band reformed, and since then they have released one further album, "Silent Transition", which appeared in 2024. The album "Out in the Dark" dates back to 1981, is the third studio album by the band, and was reissued on CD in 2025.

Analysis.
While this is an album that was released in the early 1980s, the sound, style, mood and atmosphere explored here is one that comes with a distinct 70s feel to it. In all manner of details, up to and including the cover art, the mix and production. The latter aspects are ones that I suspect some may describe as dated, and others may describe has having a bit of a vintage charm to them. This is music that sounds like it was recorded some decades ago, which will be a positive for some and a negative for others. It does give this album a rather defined character and identity though, that is a matter of fact.

The musical landscapes explored also come with some striking vibes to them, and in the association game I suspect most people will name drop Genesis pretty early on, and then the more atmospheric laden parts of that band's 70s discography at that. The vocals and vocal style, the atmospheric alden and dreamladen arrangements and the manner in which the piano and keyboards are used all give me that association in a rather distinct manner. 

That being said, Flame Dream does expand upon that foundation quite a bit. The greater majority of the compositions also take some left turns into a quirkier and more expressive style, with impulses from jazz and sometimes also folk music being a bit of a presence in those passages, and to my mind at least these regular left turns into a more complicated expression also comes with a rather distinct association. This time with good, old Gentle Giant begging to be name dropped.

Towards the end of this album the band also gets a bit more expansive and expressive in the style they explore, with the second part of the composition 'Strange Meeting' taking on a darker toned, more haunting mood and mode of the kind that gives me associations towards a band like Van der Graaf Generator. If not in style as such then at least in the mood and atmosphere present. 

While this isn't a band that comes across as trying to emulate or replicate the sound and style of the band's name dropped, this isn't a production you might describe as being all that original either. I do find this to be a quality production though, a well developed album with well developed material, and very much a case of you do get what you probably will expect on this production. 

Conclusion.
Those who are fond of bands that explore a more atmospheric laden variety of 70's symphonic progressive rock of the Genesis variety, and who enjoy bands that spice things up a bit by also tossing in quirkier and more expressive left turns on a regular basis, should feel very much at home with the landscapes explored on this production. Especially if you also enjoy a mix and production quality of the kind that begs for the word vintage to be used when describing it. In my view a solid album that comes with some distinct vintage sounding qualities that I find to be charming.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, October 2025

Links:
http://www.flamedreammusic.com