INSOMNIA

Anima Mundi is the cream of the crop when it comes to symphonic prog. Their last 3 albums have all garnered 5 stars from me. This album will, however, break the streak.

In fact the only way one would know this is Anima Mundi is by looking at the disc. Firstly because there is another new lead singer, their fourth in the last 4 albums. But mostly because the style of this album has taken quite a turn away from the band's prior symph style. Not to say this album does not provide some great symphonic moments- it does. But for the most part, this album is more a mix of spacey/psychedelic and jazzy prog.

So I would rate this album 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, simply because of the band's continued superb musicianship and production. As a footnote, I think the new lead vocalist is quite good, in fact better than his 2 predecessors. But still, with my expectations so high for this release, I can only think of it as a slight disappointment.

Unexpected, dark and bold!

Cuban sympho-rock Dream Team got quite a bit of recognition due to their amazing albums "Jagannath Orbit", "The Way", "The Lamplighter" and "I, me, myself". However, their recent album "Insomnia" confused many fans of the band. It is very unexpected and different to the previous ones. It received very small attention and recognition among the progrock fans. At the same time I discussed opinion on "Insomnia" with a number of Anima Mundi fans and was surprised that they love the album as much as I do.

My favorite albums were "Jagannath Orbit" and "The Way". "We are the light" and "Spring knocks on the door of men" are among my 20 favorite contemporary progressive rock pieces. They are in a good vein of Yes, Wakeman, Tchaikovskiy and Borodin, with magnificent keyboard pads, synth passages and great guitar solos ? soaring in the space or penetrating the listener. Sorry to say but my favorite Anima Mundi singer is still Carlos Sosa.

However, if the previous albums should be commented as "We are the Light", then the "Insomnia" can be commented as "We are the Dark". My beloved pieces from the previous albums were magically and calmly developing, while the "Citadel" grabs you hard and drags you along. "Insomnia" is a great album of matured composers and musicians! Yes, it is dark and very bold. One should have strong guts to turn the band in the totally different direction ? towards more spacious, psychedelic, fusion, jazz rocky atmosphere. To my opinion - "Insomnia" is a great concept album with sometimes "Canterbury" moods and sometimes modern and avantgardish turns. In "The Wheel of Days" one might recognize great reminiscences of Miles Davis.

The skill of magnificent playing by Virginia Pereza on keyboards and Roberto Diaz on electric and acoustic guitars is still impressive. Yaroski Corredera on bass and Marco Alonso on drums (and great saxophone) even increased their skill and reached impressive sound. By the way, Aivis Prieto made a good job in the album as well, his voice is nicely fitting the concept of the album while singing complicated and sometimes weird melodies.

Compared to the previous albums the "Insomnia" does not "impress you during the first listen", however I wanted to listen to it again and again. I'm not sure that Anima Mundi will further follow the direction of "Insomnia", but am absolutely sure that further on they will reach another level of music. They already did! And it was very brave and unexpected experiment. Life around us is not that bright and funny, and life of progressive rock musicians (especially in Cuba) is not funny at all. To my opinion this album is worth to be rated 4,5 stars, however due to the unexpected and bold decision to produce it I will rate it with 5 stars.

Keyboard Crazy

I was already keen on the epic 'The Chimney, The Wheel And The War' which can be found on the forerunner album 'I Me Myself'. Have to confess that they really surprised me at first, as the new stuff did not sound like that identically named band I was aware of before. 'Insomnia' marks a step away from the dwelled symphonic fundament, towards eclectic art rock, this augmented with some spacey vibe and weird moments. Or maybe one can say they have opened a new session which is focussed on a more widespread and experimental approach? Let's see. Good for us most certainly.

There are only a few prog bands hailing from Cuba, and ANIMA MUNDI probably are the best known, partly because intensively touring Europe in the past. The band's core remains stable on this occasion, that includes Roberto Díaz (guitars), Yaroski Corredera (bass), Marco Alonso (drums) and the lovely Virginia Peraza taking care of a wide range of keyboard stuff. The task to cull a new lead singer may have caused some insomnia anyhow. But it's okay. Aivis Prieto comes in provided with a qualified voice and little accent. But I'm not sure if he is undertaking the lead during the gentle ballad Her Song where the vocals are showing advantage at best. Though maybe it's Roberto Díaz actually.

Certainly nice, seriously, not joking yet, a proper method to lull you into sleep, without the need for any pills. But before that will happen, there is a lot going on which needs fair attention. The opening Citadel is serving a groovy entry. Prominent synths and jazzy hints throughout. The spacey Swans will take you far away into another spheric dimension, which finally will end into an Electric Credo, a fantastic avant tinged band outing. The Hunter is underway then on well known symphonic paths.

Every song has its own identity, saxophone and trumpet input here and there, smooth jazzy excursions from time to time. The title song expresses a fascinating silky mood with singalong ability, which will end Porcupine Tree alike somehow. On the other hand they are offering neat aggressive impulse during New Tribes Item. Excellent, great move. All correct when it comes to my taste. In the face of a diversified behaviour a coherent result anyhow. 'Insomnia' is an album I'm really fond of in the meanwhile.

For some reason this is the first time I have come across Anima Mundi, but this is their sixth album, having released their debut as long ago as 2002. Tow of the members of that line-up are still in the band all these years later, but what I find quite unusual is that these guys are from Cuba, not a country normally associated with symphonic prog, and according to the bible which is ProgArchives, all five top progressive albums from Cuba are by this band (which is at #3 as I write this, if you are interested). However, their debut album was released on Italian label Mellow Records and apparently, they have quite a following in mainstream Europe, and indeed this has been released on the German PPR label.

This is the second part of a trilogy which started with their 2016 album 'I Me Myself', which has very similar artwork with a hand there partially open, but in blue, so I can only guess that the next will continue in the same vein. As I haven't heard any of their earlier material I cannot say if it also follows on musically, but it is certainly intriguing. There are times when it is almost techno in its abrupt approach, and others where it is far more languid, but always taking the listener on quite a journey. This is the first album to feature Alvis Prieto on lead vocals, and he sounds as if he has been in the band forever, although there are long passages where he isn't involved at all. We are often treated to lengthy sections which are primarily keyboards and sound effects, as the band build on their story of a fictional city in a world which is ruled by political, financial and technological powers.

The guys bring in additional sax to good effect, and everyone knows their place, but it is the keyboards of Virginia Peraza which has most impact, as she uses Eighties sounds to create dynamic effects, or drops in harmonic backdrops. It is Steven Wilson, but with additional use of jazz and lounge plus some dance here and there. It means the album is always interesting, and at the end one isn't really too sure what has happened, but it makes sense to put it back on again. Not a band I had previously heard, but I am looking forward to the follow-up with interest. Really nicely presented booklet as well.

Veteran Cuban band ANIMA MUNDI can trace their history all the way back to the mid 1990's, and unless I'm much mistaken they are the main and most important progressive rock band of their home nation to boot. "Insomnia" is their sixth studio album, and was released in 2018 by German label Progressive Promotion Records.

I find it hard to conclude Anima Mundi's latest album into any of the predefined sub-genres of the progressive rock universe. It is a compelling and enthralling album however, at times hypnotically so, a dark descent into a universe that in mood and atmosphere is as bleak and ominous as the aforementioned movie Blade Runner. If cosmic, dark and dystopian progressive rock sounds like something you would enjoy, "Insomnia" deserves to be placed on your list of music that needs to be given a spin. A darkly compelling and bleakly enthralling experience.