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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Healing Spells Vestiges Review by Gary Hill Heavy on loops and found sounds, this collection is artistic and electronic. Like the previous set I reviewed from this act I've included this under "progressive rock," That's based more on the "art rock" school. Even then, this is not rock music by any means, but it is artistic. It's probably closest to the electronic sounds of acts like Synergy. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2019 Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2019.

Track by Track Review

Altitude A sound that makes me think of a scratchy record begins this. Percussive elements join, and the cut works out with some oddly compelling textures from there. There are some synthetic vocal things built into this cut. It has an intriguing energy and groove.

Through The City The weird vocal loop and musical textures of this combine to create an odd sort of electro-psychedelic world music sound.

Diver's Ascent Coming in quite percussive, there are textural elements at play, too. The cut grows out with sounds that do feel as if they are underwater.

Vestiges There is a bit of a bouncing kind of percussive groove to this. It somehow makes the track more accessible. It also manages to ground it. I dig the running water sound built into a lot of the number.

Les Cimes There is a tasty, almost world-music based groove to this number. It has a sound that seems almost playful and joyful. The cut turns more tribal later, really bringing that world music thing to the fore.

Early Morning Rituals This number does feel quite a bit like it's title. It's more textural and a bit more laid back.

Voices From The Ocean Voices and ocean sounds are both represented here. This is a bouncing kind of number that works pretty well. It has some bits of tribal sound at times, too.

Shivani's Song With a lot of world and tribal texture at its heart, this is fun and artistic. One of the voice loops keeps sounding like "not the mama" to me, though, reminding me of the old cartoon "Dinosaurs." That makes this number a bit humorous to me.

Red Island Bouncy and less voice based, this has a real Synergy kind of vibe to some degree.

Sentinel The electronic groove driving this number is not a big change, but it is effective. There are hints of something like Laurie Anderson along with sounds akin to other electronic music.

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