KAMMA

Whalephant is one of the newer additions to the ever-growing Russian prog family. And from this initial offering, "Kamma", it seems to me that these younger brothers and sisters have certainly inherited a wealth of valuable heirlooms, and are no doubt well-suited to continue on the family legacy.

Indeed, the band's national identity shines through strongly; when I listen to "Kamma", fellow countrymen Pandora Snail and Roz Vitalis come to mind. Eloquent, elaborate, and emotional compositions with a diverse portfolio of instrumental sounds, and a strong art rock ethos. And, as with their contemporaries, the music is delivered with an almost paradoxical combination of bleak melancholy and hopeful optimism. Indeed, all of the elements that make today's Russian prog scene so beautiful and fascinating to delve into are prominently on display here. That isn't to say that they're a cookie-cutter pastiche of their contemporaries, however - not at all! Whalephant have a truly innovative take on modern music that helps to separate themselves from the crowd.

So let's talk about "Kamma". "Kamma" spans just a little over an hour and is an assortment of different musical ideas. The album covers vast tracts of territory, but never feels academic, or too complex for its own good. Indeed, as a paragraph on Whalephant's bandcamp page reads, "... We hope that everyone will find it in themselves and their own history, notice the allusions and reminders within a track or an entire album. Do not look for religious or political implications - they are not there. Listen to your heart. Immerse yourself in the soundtrack to dreams and thoughts. Take a walk with us on their own consciousness... " (translation courtesy of google). As the band's message would suggest, this is a very emotive album. Hints of nostalgia permeate the compositions and, although the album is often dark in nature, there's a certain warmth to its delivery. I feel that this is hinted at quite well with the album cover. While it initially seems mysterious, with the black background and obscured text, the hands (whose might they be?) seem to be reaching out to you in an invitation of sorts, a gesture of friendship.

So, with all that in mind, just what can you expect to hear on "Kamma"? As I mentioned before, Whalephant's approach is every bit as ambitious as the other eclectic acts to come out of Russia recently. Chamber rock, electronica, post-rock, ambient music, traditional symphonic prog, and various combinations and permutations of all of these can be heard to varying degrees throughout the album. Much of the band's magic is created by the interweaving electronic and acoustic textures, with bandleader Nickolay Inshakov's synthesizers playing alongside a range of different instruments, including guitar, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and even didgeridoo! "Kamma" consists of both instrumentals and songs, sung beautifully by lead singer Ekaterina Bakanova as well as a range of guest vocalists, including a full choir at times. In all, Whalephant presents a full and diverse blend of sound that seems eccentric, but always stays cohesive.

Ultimately, "Kamma" is a fantastic collection of musical ideas and shows a band that's destined for great things. The album never seems to lose focus, and there's always something new to discover whenever you put it on. I hope to hear more from Whalephant in the future, because this is really top-shelf stuff. 4 stars; this is an excellent buy for any modern prog fan!