THE OVERVIEW EFFECT

Probably it's an unwritten promise yet. I mean putting a new high caliber album to the table year by year from now on? I was fairly thrilled by 'Absorption Lines' already, and now, a prompt feedback, Adrian Jones and Michel Simons are refining their message. On top of it catering for an entertaining monster track of 36 minutes running time! Thematically seen this relates to a phenomenon astronauts are oftenly experiencing when looking down to earth from their mothership. Prog in space, here we go again. Hence they are true to their narrative orientation, consequently there is much of a cosmic vibe to follow.

And finally this is garnered with some trip-hop feel in the vein of Massive Attack and DJ Shadow. Definitely a challenge for everybody who requires categories in order to come to a proper orientation more or less. Anyway, lift-off now. Provided with the necessary power, strength, slicing guitar riffs and a dramatic singing voice given by Adrian O'Shaughnessy, the opening track Escape Velocity makes it big. Short, but surely to the point, the ultimate teaser for encouraging interest in that album I would say. The epic mid-tempo title track, while they are gliding through the orbit yet, is divided in different sections.

Ambient synth patterns and loops, trippy ethno world imprints including tabla, the rocking parts are featuring a bunch of soaring guitars. Somewhere in between they are undergoing and surviving a (mental?) downfall. Awesome! This may be a point of interest for fans of early Porcupine Tree, Marco Ragni and similar. Honestly, afterwards, although thematically essential maybe, while reflecting the crew's comeback, the ballad Home [E.D.L.] comes as a little downer. This will not effectively downgrade my overall impression though. JET BLACK SEA are back with another excellent offer.