You think you've heard it all? You think there's nothing new under the sun? Well, there is – and this band are doing it. This is the sound of contemporary progressive indie that's positively unique in the sense that it combines this huge depth of sound with exceedingly tasty dynamics, gloriously varied lead vocals and remarkable arrangements, all wrapped up in modern day indie songwriting that's got “addictive” flowing through its veins. With two guitarists, lead vocals, keyboards, backing vocals, drums, bass and, on the final track, sax, this is a sextet who are charting a new and refreshing course.
The seven track album starts on “Opening Lines” with a haunting synth refrain as echoed, distant drums come ever nearer amid cymbal splashes before the whole thing suddenly mutates into “Grey Square Symphony” as this glorious sea of strong and streaming indie-pop with solid rhythms, huge swathes of guitars and synths, superbly sung lead vocals and a composition which twists and turns to extremely varied yet dynamic and cohesive effect. The whole vast arena of sound conveys all the splendours of ye olde prog rock but all performed and played with a modern sensibility that makes it sound so strong. The riches of instrumentation, the quality of arranging, the sheer wealth of ideas and the incredibly commanding performance, all combine to make this mini-epic of a track sound absolutely stunning, the epitome of “progressive indie” that's got a definite appeal to 40 years of music fans. Without a breath, it's right into the haunting piano and ever encroaching drums that provide the start to “Addendum-Flight Of Soul – 08” as choppy rhythms and equally choppy lead synths conjure images of eighties synth-pop as alternating lead male and female vocals provide a half-spoken lyric, before the whole thing suddenly drops anchor, a rippling guitar figure washes over you in waves of joy as the beats accelerate once more, only this time that wondrously riffing lead guitar comes in and just soars on top of it all. The song, once again, twists and turns as Porcies-styled harmony vocals are poured on top of the high-flying lead and background vocals, the stirring undercurrent of heavy rhythms and surging, searing dual guitars providing the backbone to a track that's absolutely vast, epic in nature and execution, varied, purposeful and, breaking every rule in the book, utterly commercial while at the same time, simply commanding your attention as the sheer quality of performance has you hooked under its spell, the depth of sound that the sextet provides, positively jaw-dropping. From here it's right into “Resolution For The Weekend” as an initial phased guitar suddenly changes to hammering rhythms and searing heat of riffing guitars, as once again, the synths build the sound from below, as the alternating female and male lead vocals are topped by a wealth of backing vocals that give an amazing mix of solid singing and glorious harmonies which can't fail to impress as this huge rocket ship of exciting, adrenaline rousing, progressive indie sound takes its rightful place in your head and heart, and once there, you never want it to leave, on a song that shows even more than what you've so far witnessed, the incredible riches of composition and arrangement that this band undoubtedly possess. “Esoterica” opens with swirling synths, distant muffled rhythms, sparkling chimes of guitar and an impassioned lead male vocal, duelling with another vocal, as the backdrop goes starker, but the addition of multi-tracked female vocal provides the depth, before the band rumble in, piano wafts slowly into view and now the whole sea of instrumentation is emotive and uplifting as the vocals become more intense and this almost Yes-like mix of vocals threatens to lift the roof off before an abrupt halt – and then showers of lead guitars rain down as the rhythms drive forward and the vocals herald the whole sound piling layer upon layer as it all rises up to spectacular effect, taking you into a whole other dimension before the haunting distant electronics drift into the final track, “Grey Square Garden”, where the initial lead vocal is the female's as the exotic instrumentation paves the way with crisp acoustic guitar, deep bass and distant, slow electronic programmed rhythms. The male vocal comes in and out as a new texture is provided by a brief burst of emotive sax that disappears almost as soon as it entered, allowing the passionate female vocal to take the almost anthemic song ever onwards and upwards to an unexpectedly abrupt end.
Even with its echoes from a past many would prefer to forget, in a present where a band called Porcupine Tree are making the old sound new, this band have gone one step further and created something that spans the decades, remains decidedly modern yet has a future that cannot diminish its qualities in any way at all.