Nektar - 2024 - Mission To Mars

(32:25; Deko Entertainment)

In 2018 Nektar split into two versions, with drummer Ron Howden asking fellow founder Mo Moore (bass) to return, along with  former members Randy Dembo (bass, guitar), Mick Brockett (lights, projections and atmosphere), and Ryche Chlanda (guitar and vocals), along with new keyboard player Kendall Scott. After a long battle with cancer Howden died in 2023, being replaced by Jay Dittamo, while Dembo left prior to the recording, but in many ways this is another stable line-up, which comes through in the music. This does not sound like a band attempting to replay what they were doing 50 years previously but instead are taking the complexity and melody of Nektar but bringing it somewhat up to date with a modern approach, especially in the keyboard sounds. The vocal harmonies are great, with Mo and Ryche  sounding like they did all the way back in 1978, while Dittamo sits perfectly in the drum seat, providing the complexity with Howden was renowned for.

Listening to this without knowing who it was, I do believe a knowledgeable proghead would say this is how they would think Nektar would sound if they were recording in the present day, and that is exactly what we have. Just four songs with a total running time of only 32 minutes, it certainly feels designed to leave the listener wanting more, but with another two albums planned for the Mars trilogy, perhaps that is exactly what is needed. Mind you, their classic ‘A Tab In The Ocean’ also contained just four songs and was only 35 minutes long, it is only in recent years that we have become used to releases being more than an hour. Classic Nektar has been brought right up to date, and I look forward to hearing the next one. 

Kev Rowland, February 2026

Links:
https://nektarsmusic.com/
https://www.dekoentertainment.com/