RELOCATOR

Ahh, the wonders of forums around the internet. Being a fan of instrumental fusion a la Sherinian, his Planet X ventures and Alex Argento, I welcome good, new outputs in that genre. Sadly, they're not a dime a dozen - or maybe that's a good thing? Either way, reading about Relocator in a "promote your music"-section on an internet forum proved to be one of the smartest moves on my part in a long time... I'm sure this album will be compared to Planet X by many, myself included. Why? Well, Sherinian's on both Relocator and Planet X, obviously, but I don't think the Relocator guys rely on him to "bring it home" for this album. Quite the contrary, actually - Sherinian's input is a nice touch but the quality of these guys' musicianship is what really makes this album stand out. It'll be exciting to see what they'll do in the keyboards department on subsequent albums! I don't think they're ripping off or drawing too heavily on other fusion-esque influences either. Not unless making an album worth listening to is considered "ripoff"! While it may not be as "gritty" and outlandish as i.e. Planet X - I dare say that it's at least on par both musically and technically. It may even be more accessible as well, without losing any of its complexity. Besides, the addition of the electric violin to the sound is a really nice touch. Additionally, I feel that a lot of Planet X songs are "pure technique", and as a consequence, the melody in that song becomes somewhat nonexistent (to my ears) - whereas Relocator is consistent through and through, be it technical proficiency or delightful musicality.

All in all, a VERY enjoyable new acquaintance, who I look forward to hearing more from! This one will fit right in with the rest of your fusion collection....