Artist Song Time Album Year
Echo Us
Echo Us Inland Empire 7:39 Inland Empire 2023
Luke Plumb
Luke Plumb Music All That Can Be Done 4:15 Turn & ReTurn 2018
The Stargazer’s Assistant
The Stargazer’s Assistant Shango 4:44 Fire Worshipper 2023
Rick Miller
Rick Miller Borrowed Time 8:44 Altered States 2023
Yossi Sassi
Yossi Sassi & The Oriental Rock Orchestra On Shoulders of Nephilim 2:14 Prediluvian 2023
Yossi Sassi & The Oriental Rock Orchestra Uriel Machine 2:20 Prediluvian 2023
The Hack Poets Guild
Hack-Poets Guild Laying The Ghost 3:25 Blackletter Garland 2023
Fractal Sextet
Fractal Sextet Slow over Fast 10:53 Fractal Sextet 2022
Ryan Shirlow
Ryan Shirlow Enter the Archive, Praise #1 5:28 WF 68 – Ullstair University Vol. 1 2023
Residuos Mentales
Residuos Mentales Narrative 4:41 Introspection 2018
What Strange Beasts
What Strange Beasts Ocean Glass 7:07 Starlight’s Castaways 2023
  1. This is a sort of revisitation and addition to a previously released trilogy by Portland, OR composer and multi-instrumentalist, Ethan J. Matthews. The tracks are in his signature style of dreaminess and surrealism, comprised of layers of acoustic and electric guitars and keyboards, deep percussion elements, and effected vocals. There is a watery, impressionistic feel to this, and it grows upon one with each immersion
    1. Luke Plumb brings together what would be a startling combination of mandolin and trumpet, except that it works. And to great effect. The lyrics are sharp observations of humanity from someone whose traveled just a little bit. Luke’s voice is deep and rich and perfectly suits the subject matter. Due to the horns (also fluegelhorn) in their quavery softness, winnowing along with the mandolin, double bass, guitars and percussion, overall this is a singular sound and well worth delving into.
      1. This band from the UK brings large servings of ambient drone laced with post-rock experimental improvisation. Like much music of this sort, it invites one to indulge in trance-like immersion into the subtly shifting sonic experience. The layering is subtle and superbly done. Love the Middle Eastern tinge in my favourite track.
        1. Multi-instrumentalist Rick Miller composes in the style of 70s symphonic progressive rock music. Thematically, this outing references paganistic other-consciousnesses, dream states and shape-shifting. Keyboards and guitars, along with flutes, cello, violin and percussion create the sonic backdrop to his metaphysical musings. Another satisfying release after last year’s Old Souls.
          1. Yossi Sassi and the Oriental Rock Orchestra once again present a quality fusion of Middle Eastern, world and progressive rock music. Electric instruments are paired with kanun, flutes, viola, and piano, to seamlessly meld Eastern and Western styles. Of course, plenty of percussion is featured, plus a guest vocal appearance by Ross Jennings, who also wrote the lyrics for the rockiest piece on the release.
            1. Comprised of UK folk stalwarts Marry Waterson, Lisa Knapp and Nathaniel Mann, the music here explores both traditional and original tunes, presented in folkloric fashion. Backed with both traditional acoustic and electric instruments, yet still maintaining a spare sound, many of the tales told are haunting, either in subject or atmosphere.
              1. Stephan Thelen has joined forces with 5 other superb musicians, plus a guest, on this self-titled release to bring us these ambient experimental compositions. Instrumentation is all manner of keyboards, electric guitar, bass, and percussion, along with bowed guitar. Lush and intriguing, the music invites one to reverie, but never to indifference and complacency
                1. Based on a fictional university’s arcane music department’s long-lost recordings, this is just delightfully darkly whimsical. The epics are fantastic pieces, moving along, like much of this release, in an almost-Bosch-esque landscape. Impossible to choose a favourite, but going with Enter the Archive, Praise #1 to give an idea of what this recording is all about.
                  1. This duo from Greece present a superb piece of chamber progressive rock, with strong cinematic tones, and some nods to Grecian music. It’s a concept story, following the tortured memories of a man during a twelve hour period. Pianos, synthesizers, guitars, flute, and violin provide the soundtrack to the storyline, which perfectly captures the feeling of this man’s melancholy interior life.
                    1. Progressive/Art rock band from Seattle blends in more than just a hint of psychedelia in their sound. This is a concept piece exploring space, but it’s also examining the interior lives of the people inhabiting it. In between each longer track is a short entr’acte introducing the next chapter in the saga. Lots of keyboards and guitars of all types here, and of course, drums. The vocals are clear and very reminiscent of 70’s psych, as it became more progressive. Just infectious.