Band: Czyszy | Album: Aftermoon | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
On his latest release, one-man Polish experimental rock act Czyszy (pronounced “chih-shih”) draws heavily from classic ‘70s prog sounds. Yes, ELP, and Camel are all obvious influences, as are more recent emulators of that sound, like Wobbler. The playing is nimble and creative, and the compositions are generally lively. The structures of the songs can feel slightly disjointed at times, and reading about how this record was written and recorded, that makes sense. This work evolved out of plans for a rather short EP. Despite the occasional lack of coherence, this is a fun release with a lot to like.
Score: 75/100
Band: Gondhawa | Album: Täkomā | Genre: Heavy psych | Bandcamp
This French trio plays high energy, muscular psychedelia heavily suffused with “oriental” (their phrasing) scales and melodies. Just how far east “oriental” encompasses varies from song to song. Some tracks draw influence from Central and South Asia, while others take cues from Anatolia and the broader Middle East, and yet others head (south-)west of France to draw sounds from the Sahel and Maghreb. This transcontinental musical sampler platter may not have a ton of geographic consistency to it, but Gondhawa’s musical pillaging results in something pretty fun. They demonstrate a good ear for catchy melodies and infectious rhythms, as well as a knack for powerful and engaging jams.
Score: 76/100
Band: King Ghidra | Album: Man’s Final Odyssey | Genre: Progressive rock, Space rock | Bandcamp
Man’s Final Odyssey has a lot of strong elements to it. The songs are structured smartly, and there are some very inventive riffs and motifs. The band also demonstrates an adept use of textural variation. However, there are some unignorable technical issues here. The vocals are fairly weak, and a few passages on the album probably could have done with another take. Despite these problems, though, I can sense a strong foundation that, with a bit of honing, could produce some really solid music. (The ponderous ambient closing track is something I could wholly do without.)
Score: 66/100
Band: Krateros | Album: Lost in Translation | Genre: Progressive thrash metal | Bandcamp
Krateros’s debut EP is an energetic and exciting thrash release. The band smartly blends technical showmanship with a keen sense of melody. The four songs presented here demonstrate a fairly diverse sound (by thrash metal standards). Krateros incorporates noticeable alt rock tendencies throughout, and that sort of sonic variation helps keep things interesting.
Score: 81/100
Band: Orisit | Album: The Beginning | Genre: Progressive rock, Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
Orisit’s debut EP is a pleasant 22-minute piece that focuses on gentle textures and floating melodies. Dashes of indie and alternative rock underpin the three songs here, lending a lot of accessibility alongside progressive artsiness. The Beginning is a chill, laid-back release that demonstrates ambition, intelligence, and a good sense of melody. There’s a well-struck balance between the forward momentum of verses and stratospheric instrumental passages.
Score: 78/100
Band: Soft Machine | Album: Thirteen | Genre: Jazz, Jazz-fusion | Bandcamp
Soft Machine is a band with a lineup so fluid that, like Gong, there’s a whole Wikipedia article dedicated to tracking who’s in the band. Guitarist John Etheridge is the current longest-serving member, having first appeared on the band’s ninth studio record, 1976’s Softs. My favorite era of this band was its earliest. I love the high-energy, frenetic feel of The Soft Machine and Volume Two, and Third is an impressive feat of jazz-rock integration. I listened to this band’s 2023 record, Other Doors, and I thought it was fine. It didn’t really motivate me to write, but it was fine.
Thirteen is a step up over Other Doors. Hints of the band’s Canterbury origins are evident, and I love some of the weirder moments, like the dark and noisy “Seven Hours”. The jazz elements are often rather light and airy, but the band does a great job at including tonal contrasts. The 13-minute “The Longest Night” is another highlight, with some wonderful internal dynamism. However, many of these songs simply run for too long, and that can make this something of a draining listen. There’s still plenty to like here, but be prepared for some bloat.
Score: 72/100
The Elite Extremophile 