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Anchor and Burden Kosmonautik Pilgrimage Review by Gary Hill This instrumental album features experimental music that has a lot in common with modern King Crimson. The group includes two touch guitar players, a keyboardist and a drummer. Two of those musicians (touch guitarist Markus Reuter and drummer Asaf Sirkis) should be familiar names for those who follow Music Street Journal. This is an unusual and particularly effective set. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review

Corridors of Silent Screams (Sublevel Cells Part I) This starts ambient and builds outward with a heavy, yet still understated concept. It has a definite modern King Crimson sort of sound to it. This is over nine-minutes long, and all that space is put to good use via lots of tasty meandering.

Cerebral Transfixations (Sublevel Cells Part II) While not a huge change, this gets into even weirder territory. It feels more experimental. It also feels dangerous at times. As much as I liked the opener, I prefer this.

Hissing Skin (Radion Crater Exploration Part I) Electronic percussive elements start this. The number grows outward gradually with more freeform freakiness. This is quite the exploration, although not a big change from that which has come before. it. Still, it's a unique track. At times it reminds me of Bruford Levin Upper Extremities. The percussion really gets crazed near the end.

The Core is Organic (Radion Crater Exploration Part II) Seeming to come right out of the previous piece, this is quite percussive early. It gradually builds outward on that. This gets pretty crazed before it's done, really driving forward.

Shivering Walls (Radion Crater Exploration Part III) Ambient elements bring this one in, and the cut evolves slowly and organically. This gets quite dark and heavy before it's over. It never loses sight of the exploratory freeform Crimsonian elements, though.

Self Assembly (Radion Crater Exploration Part IV) Hard-edged and dramatic Crimsonian wanderings are on the menu here. This isn't a big change, but it also doesn't seem like "more of the same."

Secret Laboratory This is trippy and mellower. It is definitely experimental. This does rise up a little as it works through, but not nearly to the level of some of the rest of the stuff here.

Royal Augmentation (Splinters of Glory Part I) I love the gradual and slow moving build-up that makes up this tune.

Crown Hive (Splinters of Glory Part II) While this is largely the same as the rest here, it's also fierce and very cool. It is a great way to end the album.

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