EMERGENT

Burnt Belief, 2016 "Emergent"

As soon as I listened cautiously for the first time this new Burnt Belief cd, I still feel the bitter-sweet aftertaste of their previous Latin/Fusion influenced "Etymology" (2014) and secretly hoping that was just a passing phase.

Well the first track "The Bubble Bursts" is not exactly free of this tendency but it is perfectly fitted as to not be the log over the road but part of the scenery. Anyway, I kind of get the idea either way that these Latin/Fusion elements are close to this band's heart. Do not get me wrong but when you soar these lands with your electric guitar, it is extremely hard not to come close and sound like Santana's hot licks or Di Meola's sultry Spanish/Latin clockwork arrangements, which is fine if it moves yer soulful booty, but I if I want to listen to that WHY should I listen to it here? Therefore I still do prefer them in their more unique music language oriented "Burnt Belief" (2012), their first release. Anyway this track is a 4 star track.

Track 2 "More Snow" is, as predicted, a kind of blend between the before mentioned guitar/arrangements influences with some nice splashes of prog/electronic's synths making up for the deeply "foreign" influenced track. 2.5 stars.

"The Confidence of Ignorance", track 3 a more experimental constructed composition will make Porcupine Treers, probably, Burnt Believers. 3.5 stars.

"Emergent" has in bravery what it lacks in really "hook me" riffs. If it could have been less tight to the guitar cadence, it probably would have had more punch and flown higher, who knows, but as such it is far from becoming essential. 3.5 stars

"Until the Stars Go Out", track 5, again shows the experimental side of Colin Edwin and Jon Durant. Less explosive yet more daring as to explore less familiar sounds as they have done in their solo releases. 4 stars.

As "Language of Movement" begins I can confirm without question that the Latin Fusion influence will keep on happening therefore its respective GHOSTS. 2.5 stars and I kind of get the feeling that this band is no longer gonna be an investement for me anymore.

The highly praised "Turning Torso" track 7, blends the experimental side with a tightly arranged percussions free form ( featuring Vinny Sabatino). Again the guitar work leads and arises as it also overshadows some more interesting atmospheres. It is kind of harsh to mention but the guitar solos seem to spoil the few audible highlights this track (or most of this release's) could have offered. 3 stars.

This highly expected (by me) release closes with "Ghosts Aquatic". A subtly explosive piano based track which actually shows, at last, what this duo sounds like when not forced to be an electric guitar soloing band. Better last than never. 4 stars.

Well what else? If you are not that hot for Fusion/Rock, as I am, this release will sadly and quickly be forgotten. If you like this styling you should probably sink your teeth in.

***3.4 stars.

Brit Colin Edwin and American Jon Durant have forged quite an auspicious career within the experimental/ambient sub-genre of prog, starting out with their fabulous 2012 debut that ultimately gave birth to the band's now official moniker, Burnt Belief. I find instrumental ambient music to be somewhat of a soporific wish when entirely synthesizer based, so my preference steers towards artists that push the bass guitar nicely up-front and forward, such as the non-prog career of Pat O'Hearn, the very proggy Herd of Instinct/Spoke of Shadows or even more complex stuff like Lebowski, Henry Fool, No-Man or Tim Bowness. Being an unrepentant bass guitar fan, I am always glued to that lifeline of direction when appreciating any kind of music really, so when guided by a seasoned technician like Colin Edwin, whose career path with Porcupine Tree and loads of session work, I am provided all the credibility needed to enjoy such a project. Bringing in a full-time drummer is a judicious idea, as Edwin requires added propellant to make his deep grooves flourish and bloom. Vinny Sabatino is the missing piece that gives the rhythmic pulse a more solid foundation to explore and discover new horizons. The menu is eclectic, diverse yet all imbued with a certain sense of purpose, in my opinion, entirely vehiculated by that nasty bass guitar.

The spellbinding 'The Bubble Bursts' introduces the mood with an array of synthesized keyboards from Jon Durant, Colin's simple rumble and a steady Sabatino pace. The guitar synth then takes command of the direction, but only once the bass has set the controls to the heart of the bubble, coloring the horizon with inspired sounds that swirl mightily. The raspy contortions in the background are pure genius as Durant channels some Frippian energy on his lead guitar.

Being a Canadian, 'More Snow' certainly does not frighten me in any which shape or form, frozen water is actually quite beautiful and refreshing. What is really 'cool' here is the addition of tropical hand drums that give the swooning arrangement a Saharan gleam, a spiraling synthesized flute that assumes to charm many a snake, the bass rumbling below, with occasional blasts of 'cloud' guitar to give the sonic landscape a reprieve from the burning belief. Magical.

On 'Confidence of Ignorance', the overall mood is closer to the more adventurous side of Porcupine Tree, a jungle of liberating sounds that are well anchored into an obsessive fretless bass groove that is quite cinematographic, raising a velvet-draped platform for some scouring leads, courtesy of Durant's visionary guitars and guitar-synths. Sabatino bashes away in apparent astonishment, always trying to subjugate the unyielding bass to his beat. The title track sounds like an homage to the one of the greatest bass players ever, the regretted Mick Karn, who many agree to have been a pioneer of the 4 string monster, easily on par with such legends as Entwhistle, Squire and Pastorius. In fact, his signature 'wobbly' fretless sound is a pure stroke of genius, created melodic aspirations for an instrument that too often holds back and is content to keep a beat. Well, let me tell you, this is quite the sonic adventure, a thoroughly engaging piece of genius that channels the great rhythmic spirits in a reverential manner, while still exciting the senses. Jaw-dropping!

The uber-hypnotic and seriously contemplative 'Until the Stars Go Out' provides ideal cosmic travel, a peaceful stroll into the stratosphere, a respite from all the previous goose bumps and unrequited genius. This is the most ambient piece, spooky, obscure and eerie, with Colin's upright bass doing some clinical stuff, Jon using a marimba sound to great effect. No drums here, but an ultra-efficient programming sequence, flinging this spectral piece into the future.

'Language of Movement' here the cordial fretless bass attains a rubbery status that is most persuasive, evoking past jazz-rock icons like the remarkable Isotope (featuring the late Hugh Hopper), rifling drum shifts and all the room for the various guitars to frolic wildly, in a more conventional fusion method, complete with long sustained notes, as well as uncontrolled devotion to the ecstatic cause.

Another high point is reached on 'Turning Torso', an unquestionably acrobatic 10 minute epic that conjures certain King Crimson-esque gymnastics, Jon Durant is quite able to channel Robert Fripp's mechanical obsession with precision and the resourceful drums certainly find all kinds of modern beats to toy with. The churlish bass does all the conducting on this train, a relentless almost Mike Howlett-inspired Gong furrow that does not surrender to anyone's will. Actually this blending of disciplined King Crimsonite elements with space a la Gong is quite an appropriate one, as this long piece just sparkles seductively. Knee-shaking! Liquid expanses are expressed with great effect on 'Ghosts Aquatic', a cosmological bass rivulet meandering among the stars, both fretless and upright, whilst the guitars weave acoustic and electric patterns, anchored by some superlative drum support, all smoothness and restraint.

I strongly suggest to all fans wondering whether this may appeal to them, to just follow the Colin Edwin groove and let the music shine accordingly. Close your eyes, keep pace behind the bass and imagine! This is no New Age pap, it's not ambient 'watch paint dry' stuff or commercialized pretty noise. Its utterly progressive music of the highest caliber and pedigree. Three albums in and going strong, totally impeccable by any musical standard! 'Emergent' is a sonic paradise of the uppermost quality.

5 embryos