REACH

Atmospheric, djenty Prog not unlike bands VOTUM, PROGHMA-C, and KARNIVOOL. Vocals are almost like Tears for Fears' Roland Orzabul . . . without the punch and feeling.

1. "Time I" (2:51) clock ticking and ominous droning synth opens before bass drum and woodblock hit join in. A second eerie synth buzz enters in the second minute before drums sounds start to expand and breathy, airy higher pitched vocals enter. Pretty amazing opening! (10/10)

2. "Time II" (5:41) add djenty guitars and bass and odd time signature drumming and we have a new albeit still unsettling sound. An 80s-effected vocal joins in during a lull then the full wall of sound melds. The vocal almost doesn't work. The best part of this song remains that two-chord synth drone in the foundation. (9/10)

3. "Time III" (1:27) the song's electro-atmospheric breakdown and fadeout. ("Time" should be one continuous song. (4/5)

4. "Nul" (4:26) a great multi-voice chorus almost lifts this one into prominence. (8.5/10)

5. "Mezame" (4:56) a very nice vocal melody in the verses cannot lift this one alone. (8.5/10)

6. "Morph" (5:43) solid but nothing very special here. (8/10)

7. "Gravity" (6:00) love the deep throng of the bass chord dominating the distant vocal during the opening section but, unfortunately, that and a fairly nice chorus melody are the highlights of this one. (8.5/10)

8. "Inertia" (6:20) great MASERATI-like opening riff! Love the slow addition of slow cymbol, synth, and bass before all hell breaks loose! Reprieve for the vocal would work if the vocals weren't so sedate/seem full of indifference. Still, great melodies and the stop-and-start heaviness works well on this one. GREAT fifth minute build and d'nouement! (9/10)

9. "Reach" (5:09) the stage-by-stage, levels of development on this song plus the use of "tricks" like the bouncy/staccato female or pitch-altered voice in the second and fourth minutes is what I've been looking for. More! (9/10)

10. "Evolve" (10:00) the magic here is the ear-worm-like melodic hooks in the slow build of the opening four minutes--guitar strums, percussives, rolling bass, and vocal--as well as the neat ambient electronic second half. Brilliant restraint. (10/10)

A collection of underwhelming music that has somehow dug itself deep into my brain. Most of the songs are not very complex; they are long enough to show more development, to include more flash and flourish. This album kind of reminds me of last year's release from GODSTICKS; ATMOSPHERES is a band straddling two different musical genres. Great potential!

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of atmospheric djenty prog.