ISLE OF EIGHT

Colin Masson is the leader of folk-proggers The Morrigan, which are some kind of darker and much more complex version of Steeleye Span. This is his first solo record, in which he deals not only with most of the instruments, but also the production and even the cover artwork. There are three tracks: 'Isle of Eight' is a 23 minutes suite in the vein of 'Tubular Bells'. Even though it features several more aggressive passages, it tends towards the folkier side, reaching its peak in the most medieval-sounding passages. 'Total Eclipse' is longer, more aggressive and more complex. It works perfectly thanks to a good balance between the darker and lighter moments, as the title suggests. The only drawback is that it ends in a fade out, something I wasn't expecting in a song as well structured as this one. The last track features a structure of 'progressive crescendo', although the climax doesn't really pay off. This is a good record, not perfect, but a zillion times better than what Mike Oldfield has been doing lately. I highly recommend it for folk-prog fans.