There is something to be said for the tactile experience of opening up a new vinyl LP, pulling out the disc and feeling that heft in your hand. There’s a certain magical sense of expectation when you place it on the turntable and queue up the needle to the groove. This vinyl version of the latest Dewa Budjana helped me to relive that. The thing is, once I sat down to listen, the warmth of the sound made it even better. I have reviewed this on CD, so for the sake of consistency (it’s the same music) this review will include that one. Let’s just say, though, that this comes to life in vinyl form in a way it can’t on CD (and especially digital copy).

This is a purely instrumental disc. It’s also a purely successful one. It’s mostly fusion, but then again, isn’t fusion really a combination of rock and jazz? That’s really one of the basic configurations of progressive rock. And, this does land on the rock side at times here. For those reasons, I’ve included it under progressive rock. The thing is, fans of fusion and prog will both love this thing. It’s a great set.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

A bit mellower and less dynamic, this has a great melodic tone to it. It’s almost pure fusion, but there are hints of progressive rock in the mix, too. It’s got a real classic fusion sound to it.

I love the rubbery kind of vibe that runs underneath this piece. It’s a pretty perfect melding of prog and fusion sounds. It’s also a particularly effective composition. They take this through some pretty cool changes as it continues. It’s actually one of the most impressive numbers here. Given the competition, that says a lot.

More of a pure fusion song, this one also covers a lot of musical ground. It gets pretty intense at times, but remains more cohesive and restrained than some of the other music here.

Here is another that’s a bit less dynamic. It’s got a real melodic fusion vibe. The guitar really steals most of the show. That said, the bass gets some chances to shine here. This is one of the most readily accessible pieces here.