(31:42; Fruits de Mer Records) Track list: 1. Look at the Sun 3:31 2. The Band 3:22 3. The Nothing Song 8:22 4. Piper at the Gates of Time 4:19 5. Fuchsia Song     4:00 6. Box of Destiny 4:55 7. Just Another Song 3:13 Line-up: Not stated Prolusion. UK band Fuchsia is among those bands from yesteryear that I suspect most people will have a hard time recognizing, as it was one of many one album bands from the classic era of UK rock history. That album being the self-titled "Fuchsia" from back in 1971. Main man Tony Durant revived the band some 40 years later though, now based out of Australia, and a second studio album then appeared back in 2013. A few years later the compilation album "Song" appeared, released as a double vinyl single through UK vinyl specialist label Fruits de Mer Records. Analysis. Rather than being a compilation album of Fuchsia, I understand that this production really is a brief venture into the various creative efforts of the band's main me...

(73:08; Orphictone) Track list: 1. When 6:50 2. What's Normal 8:50 3. Childless 6:09 4. Immortality 10:03 5. Tired 5:04 6. Labyrinth 6:07 7. Inward Feeling 7:49 8. Solitude 7:16 9. Reflections 9:26 10. Stamp of Personality 5:34 Line-up: Konstantin Jambazov - vocals, instruments Prolusion. Bulgarian artist Konstantin Jambazov doesn't appear to be the most well known artist out there, despite releasing music for at least a couple of decades as a member of various band constellations in addition to more than a dozen solo albums. With a number of different genres taken on over the years. The album "Talking to Myself" dates back to 2017, and was released through Japanese label Orphictone. Analysis. This is an interesting album to get familiar with, at least in terms of how to classify and define the landscapes explored. The moods and atmospheres in particular showcase an artist that appear to be rather familiar with a number of different musical traditions from yesteryear ...

(37:05; CatSynth Records) Track list: 1. Third Overture 1:15 2. But in Ourselves 4:37 3. Put It by Thrice 3:31 4. The Ladder 3:13 5. Count the Clock 4:51 6. Portia and the Soothsayer 2:57 7. Midmarch 3:53 8. This Little Measure 3:03 9. Triumvirate 4:03 10. The Tide 2:25 11. The Ghost at Philippi 3:17 Line-up: Jason Berry - programming, keyboards, electronics, various instruments, sounds with: Steve Adams - saxophone Jason Bellenkes - clarinet, saxophone Myles Boisen - e-bow piano, guitars, sitar, percussion Sheldon Brown - clarinet, flute Dan Cantrell - harpsichord Amanda Chaudhary - keyboards, synthesizers, electronics Mark Clifford - glockenspiel, crotales, vibraphone John Ettinger - violin Chris Grady - trumpet, flugelhorn John Hanes - drums, percussion Scott Larson - trombone Crystal Pascucci - cello Jill Rogers - voice Sami Stevens - voice Brett Warren - bass G Calvin Weston - drums, percussion Prolusion. US venture Nubdug Ensemble is the creative vehicle of composer and musician ...

(48:00; Indel) Pascal Indelicato (composition, piano, orchestral programming) was in the progressive rock band Indelspeen with Nicolas Mourachko in the Eighties, and then in 1998 they formed Silver Lining with Thierry Sportouche. It was Thierry who recently sent me this 2019 CD where Pascal has somewhat revived the old name, and is now playing alongside Claire Mathilde Dufour (violin, electric violin), François Zampa (bass) and Bertrand Moulin (drums). I must confess and say it has been impossible to find anything out about this band, as apart from a few minor mentions on French sites they basically have no presence on the web. At least I have not been able to find any, and that is a real shame as this is one of those unusual albums, something which is obviously scarce and rare which is also worth listening to. François and Bertrand set the platform, and it is up to Pascal and Claire to take the lead, and Pascal is often content to allow his musical partner be dominant. We get a mix of...

(68:57; Wild Thyme Records) There is little doubt that one of the major surprises in the underground prog scene in recent years is the resurgence of Solstice. Originally formed in 1980, they were one of the leaders of the early Neo prog scene, yet while often referenced by others they never truly gained the success they deserved. This dramatically changed with the release of ‘Sia’ in 2020, the first album with Jess Holland on vocals, since when they have also released the excellent ‘Light Up’ and have been a constant on the live scene playing prestigious gigs throughout the land. One of these was their return in 2023 to the famous Cropredy Festival some 25 years on from when they first played there, and now we have the double vinyl release of that show. The line-up for this was Andy Glass (guitar), Jess Holland (vocals), Jenny Newman (fiddle), Peter Hemsley (drums), Robin Phillips (bass), Steven McDaniel (keyboards), Ebony Buckle (keyboards, vocals) and Dyane Crutcher (vocals) who had ...

(71:03; Black Widow Records) It has been eight years since the last album, which in turn was released eight years on from the previous one, but Sophya Baccini (vocals), Enrico Iglio (drums, percussion, keyboards) and Sergio Casamassima (guitar, bass) have returned with their seventh studio album. There are not many bands which can say the same people have been involved in all the releases, but when Sophya joined Hell’s Rider in the Eighties, they became Hells’ Rage, then morphed into Orphic before the trio released the debut album as Presence back in 1992. With both Enrico and Sergio having to undertake multiple roles there is no doubt that has an impact on recording time, but there have only been three albums in the last 20 years which is a real shame as here we have a Neo band with RIO tendencies which are very enjoyable indeed. I am not sure how I missed these guys back in the Nineties as I thought I was aware of most of what was going on in the prog world back then, and was certain...

(149:00; Laser's Edge) Somewhat amazingly this is the collective’s 44th release since their debut back in 2006, which I reviewed back in the day. I have only heard a few of theirs since then, but did review 2023’s ‘Everyone Is Evil’ and this contains many of the same musicians with Dr. Space (Hammond, Mellotron, Modular synth, Octave The Cat, ARP Odyssey, Poly D), Mattias Olsson (drums, congas, Mellotron, Poly D), Jonathan Segel (guitar, slide guitar, violin, Fender Rhodes), Martin Weaver (Microfreek & Roland drum machines), Luis Simões (gong, guitar, noise box), Hasse Horrigmoe (bass), Larry Lush (Fender Rhodes, Mellotron) and KG Westman (sitar, Mellotron, synths). Unlike ‘Everyone Is Evil’ which only had four tracks, this time around we have seven, with a total playing time of 136 minutes. OSC are widely known and regarded for their improvisational approach to music and the way they get together and jam their way through recordings which means that while their version of spac...