AURA

This album is all that I hoped for after hearing about the new project from IO Earth at their Christmas party gig. It was described by guitarist Dave Cureton as the softer side of IO Earth, and there is certainly plenty of evocative and melodic music on this album. At times, however, the music builds in intensity and is more stirring and up-beat. There is an excellent mix of male and female vocals, and extended instrumental sections, including some lovely piano and guitar playing. All in all, a wonderful follow up to the excellent Solitude and a worthy addition to the IO Earth catalogue.

I first encountered IO Earth on their second album 'Moments'. From the start I was struck by their creativity, musicianship and of course their music. The key word I would also add at that stage of their journey would be potential. This potential was realised by their progression from 'Moments' to the ambitious double album 'New World' and finally to the superb 'Solitude'. The only slight concern I had about this new release was would it be able to match 'Solitude'? An album preview put my mind at rest by a preview in early March, The snippets in themselves were enough to truly whet the appetite, as was the stated aim of songwriters Dave Cureton and Adam Gough to explore and develop melody even more than before. This sounded like it would be something special. I am writing this amid the coronavirus crisis. Why is this relevant? Well, I would say in dark times it is vital to have something to look forward to, and amid the horror of the implications of the virus, I certainly took some comfort in awaiting delivery of the treasured CD. Further pre-release issues of the songs 'Shadows' and 'Waterfall' followed turning my eager anticipation to out and out longing to hear the complete album. The band members, and their manager Wendy Hagenbeek, kept us well informed with progress even showing the lengths they had gone to keeping everyone safe when signing the copies prior to delivery. Finally, it arrived. Could it live up to expectations? The answer is a resounding yes. I am not going to go into a track by track description, as one of the (many) great things about this album is that successive listens unlock previously unnoticed delights. Each track has its own dynamic, taking you on a journey, where your ears are treated to sonic landscapes filled with melody and emotion. The musicianship is top notch; the aforementioned Dave Cureton plays plenty of excellent guitar. However, although obviously a superb guitarist, rather than flashy showmanship he favours passion and evocation. Dave is ably complemented by the others with contributions of flute, violin, cello and trumpet making each song a mini masterpiece. Dave also provides vocals (busy fellow). Actual spoken lyrics are somewhat minimal, but this allows co vocalist, the delightful Rosie, the opportunity to add significantly to the aural ambience with some truly gorgeous wordless vocals. To top it all, even the production and packaging are top notch. As already stated I am not going to try to much to describe each particular track, but special mention would go to 'Waterfall' (a superb showcase for Rosie), the hauntingly beautiful 'Shadows' (you must check out the poignant video that accompanies it) and the delightful and thought provoking closer 'The Rain'. Reading above, I must admit, makes me look a bit like a one-dimensional fan boy. This impression is a risk I am willing to take. Indeed, it is much preferable to my most beloved's description of me as a grumpy, cynical old man! I have been around for a while (to put it mildly) and have heard a wealth of great music. 'Aura' stands very proudly when matched against most (if not all) of my most treasured musical friends. This simply is a special album. It has already been a great comfort to me during these dark times. And I know that it will continue to be. I strongly advise anyone to do themselves a huge favour and add it to their collection.

IO EARTH is a British neo prog band discovered by chance in my ears in 2012. There are acoustics, hovering, often soft arrangements that explode in a musical crescendo, there is also a very beautiful voice. feminine in this case Rosanna since "Solitude". IO EARTH sounds very symphonic and can afford to roam heavy lands over time. On their last opus there is a question of a significant change of their compositions with always energetic solos, breaks with classical instruments, contemporary music therefore, more pop songs but therefore less expectation of Dave's devastating solo. Basically a melting pot of prog rock that might surprise you. A bit of symphonic and hypnotic rock too.

"Aura" begins this album with a very planing and symphonic composition in the tradition of a good PINK FLOYD while the vocals remind me a little of a little watered down ALAN PARSONS, it's cool, soporific in the sense that the title flows very slowly with a calm rhythm; Rosanna's voice comes just in chorus to accompany those of the singing musicians. 'Waterfall' follows with an emphatic, majestic title, a sweetness that changes radically with the rather melodic IO EARTH sound; Rosanna's voice is sublime and leaves for the magnificent lands of MOSTLY AUTUMN; the title gives a grandiose idea of ​​what the original prog movement can do; a slight rise, a piano setting the tone; the end finally rises with a solo masterfully played by Dave, an excellent track where the tune is repeated from the piano to the full orchestra. 'Breathe' with a remarkable entry on the trumpet for a slightly spaghetti-like tune, before an ambient start-up with piano and violin for a piece that could claim to be spleen, I would say rather introspective; here the ethereal voices in French seem to sink you into a musical spell, a bit of ENIGMA at this point, before the final burst and deafening percussions. "Resonance I" then arrives with a first musical interlude, a soaring, airy title, a little on the sounds of Eric SERRA until the vocal appearance all in murmur and delicacy; It changes devilishly from previous albums, a little kitsch anyway too.

"Circles" attacks the second part of the album with the continuity of atmosphere at the title level; spleen tune, borderline female soprano voice, spoken male voice and an introspection with occasional sound effects ' la THE GATHERING at the guitar level; soaring and delicate, swirling and relaxing. "Shadows" continues the frame with an intro piano track quickly seconded by the violin, a piece exploring borderline religious sounds, minimalist progression with a deep melody to cry, intimacy, spleen, meditation. The instrumentation becomes solemn here and the repetition of notes follows a slow soothing crescendo despite the sound rise. "Resonance II" arrives as the second interlude and repeats of the same musical framework, giving the impression of drowning us in this maze of notes; a bewitching mantra sound then in the finale 'The Rain' for the river title of 18 minutes! After a little intro the sound goes to ALAN PARSONS somewhere, in a pop version, then Rosanna's voice gives a little oriental air, a little "Ederlezi" voice and we go, a little further; it is the minimal metronomic drums that bring the enchanting flute; then the Gilmourian guitar arrives until the change of atmosphere even more soaring, bewitching halfway; the second part is more disparate with a succession of musical sequences, vocals and association of the two until a drunken end, you will understand.

IO EARTH finally released their 5th album despite the covid-19 crisis; they were innovative in a new way of recording! They wanted a serene, ambient album, they have it; the voices are sparse between the male ones and the female one not present enough in my opinion because the beautiful Rosanna has refined her vocal cords admirably, the length of the pieces is here a plus for the unfolding of the specific atmosphere. Slow prog as described by the two main acolytes Dave and Adam, much more introspective and intimate music that changes from the original sound of IO EARTH, a surprising musical delight.

Having listened to about a dozen albums from 2020, I'm starting to believe that this is the best year of prog for a while.

I'll be honest, I've not listened to the rest of IO Earth's discography, but if Aura is anything to go by, its brilliant. The composition is atmospheric, calming, and incredibly well put together.

When it's done right, I'm a massive fan of a female/male mixed harmony vocals, and whoever made the decision to bring Rosanna Lefevre on board deserves a christmas bonus. She has an incredible ethereal voice which just adds that extra something to an already brilliant atmospheric album.

Really is something for everyone in 5-star albums in 2020, but if wistful, atmospheric prog is your thing, this is for you

More laid back, atmospheric Neo Prog from these now-veteran Brit proggers--their fourth album since their self-titled 2009 debut.

1. "Aura" (7:52) very laid back and slow to develop--like a classic PINK FLOYD or UNITOPIA song. It even had a David Gilmour-like guitar solo in near the end. (13.25/15)

2. "Waterfall" (11:24) spacious drums, piano, bass, synth washes, and female choir vocals open this slow-paced song. It's like ENIGMA-treated PURE REASON REVOLUTION. At 2:45 everything falls away while piano continues as sole accompanist to Rosanna Lefevre's lovely vocal. (She sounds a lot like FREQUENCY DRIFT's wonderful 2011 vocalist, Antje Auer.) At 3:30 the full band jumps back in, giving Rosanna a little break, but then she returns to sing her next verse. Rosanna's vocalise in the seventh and eighth minutes is pure delight as she slips in and out of operatic mode. Though flute and violin are purportedly in the mix throughout, I cannot really pick them up in the mix (until the very end). A very nice, solid prog epic. (17.75/20)

3. "Breathe" (8:36) more pretty soundscapes with gentle, etheric vocals (and samples of radio interview) but, once again, the song's development is so slow and incremental that the tendency is for the listener (me) to get bored long before the somewhat-interesting subtleties and idosyncracies arrive. (17/20)

4. "Resonance I (3:05) (8.5/10) 5. "Circles" (6:15) straight out of Giancarlo Erra's NOSOUND playbook, this spacious, atmospheric song starts with spacey atmosphere and almost-spoken male vocals before the band kicks in and Rosanna begins wafting her lilting vocalise around in the mix. An eerie Gothic pregnant spaciousness takes over in the middle before the band kicks back in and Rosanna's vocalise continues winding around while male and female vocalists sing some kind of subdued, chanted lyric together. Effective. (8.75/10)

6. "Shadows" (6:18) piano If the band's video has anything to say about this song, it's about a now-homeless war veteran (Baltic wars of the 1990s? or the Middle East conflicts?) and the memories that haunt him: friends lost in battle, lost daughter (or children as collateral damage), lost homeland. Dave Cureton gives quite an impassioned vocal in the second half. (9/10)

7. "Resonance II (2:23) (4.5/5) 8. "The Rain" (18:02) another song that is only separated from the UNITOPIA catalogue by the talented vocals of Rosanna Lefevre (who is used here as the second/relief vocalist)--and by the distinction that not even Unitopian songs develop this slowly, this simplistically. Don't get me wrong: there are definitely some nice sylistic choices here--and more dynamic shifts than on any of the previous songs--it's just . . . nice background music. The various spoken people samples in the thirteenth and fourteenth minutes try to give it a hopeful perspective but, in the end, it just feels pessimistic. (30/35)

Total Time 63:56

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of atmospheric neo-progressive rock.