Artist Song Time Album Year
Robert Svilpa Foucault’s Pendulum (3rd Movement) 11:06 Foucault’s Pendulum 2022
Myrkur Leaves of Yggdrasil 3:50 Folkesange 2020
QRN Reverie / It Goes On 9:22 Winter In Bloom 2021
Ghost Rhythms Horizontal Ascension 10:37 Imaginary Mountains 2020
Eric J. Confer Long Ago 7:44 Something Wonderful 2022
Aaron Laughlin Lost Sacred Things 7:52 Lost Coast 2021
Gabriel Akhmad Marin Sunrise 5:11 Ruminate: Improvisations for Fretless Guitar and Dutar 2021
Jim Griffin Spiral Staircase 7:44 The Signal 2020

Nickie Harte Kelly

  1. Here we have progressive music, in what I think of as California style. The Lost Coast is a mostly undeveloped and wild region in Mendocino and Humboldt counties. The music here reflects the expansive, yet intimate feeling of experiencing it in person. There is a lovely balance between electric and acoustic instrumentation and the lyrics are a thoughtful reminiscence of journeying through that land and it’s history.
  2. This is a concept piece, a sort of journey through time with a message to the future, by a fictional author, with a mystery at the heart of it. The guitar work in particular, is precise and forceful, delicate when it’s called for, and the pieces are varied in instrumentation, skirting several styles adeptly. The complete chronicle is compelling, like a book you just can’t put down.
  3. Here we have a sort of merging of progressive math rock, jazz and little bit of space thrown in for good measure. The music is instrumental and is more driving than space music, however. Band is primarily electric in sound with expert electric violin spicing it all up, as well as a plethora of other instrumentation such as accordion, cello, harpsichord, sax and flute.
  4. Eric’s latest release is a surprise, as for this one, he adds his vocals. He presents his signature guitar style, which is soaring and precise and plays all instruments. I hate to make comparisions to others, but his voice reminds me much of David Cousins at times. Reflective and thoughtful lyrics, and, as expected, his guitar leads are marvelous to the ears.
  5. Emerging from the black metal field, Amalie Bruun goes full Scandinavian folk here. Dreamy, dark music with pristine vocals that seem as if they are coming from somewhere out of time. Haunting instrumentation and mythological verse that is truly transporting, yet firmly rooted in the soil of the artist’s heritage. The bowed instrumentation is positively chill-inducing.
  6. Grand progressive rock here, sometimes quite heavy. Robert, who plays guitars, keyboards and hand percussion, has a host of guests here, on drums and other percussion, fretted and fretless guitars and basses, Taurus bass pedals and Chapman stick. Expertly performed, this is a concept piece from start to finish and takes one on quite a journey, as well-crafted progressive music should do.

Seattle denizen Peter Tutak has a solid grounding in classical music that shows, as he expresses in this primarily symphonic prog release. His principal instrument is bass, but he covers all of the other instruments and vocals along with guests playing acoustic and electric guitars. You will sometimes hear musical quotes of the likes of Debussy and Ravel. A promising debut from a talented composer.