MIRROR GAMES

JAVIER MIRANDA originates from the Galician city of Lugo, Spain and has been quite active in various bands including Art of Lament, Bristol, Dead Flag, Digital Quail, Experipecies, Kalte Sonne, Pressences and TFL but in 2020 finally ventured out as a solo artist with his first album MIRROR GAMES although MIRANDA spent the 2010s releasing solo material on a series of splits with Yellow Flesh.

Having quite a diverse musical palette, MIRROR GAMES delivers an interesting mix of various styles of progressive rock and Berlin School progressive electronic. The opening 'Travels Pt 1' for example takes full flight into 70s progressive electronic bringing the classics from Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream to mind but the ten minute track doesn't stay content with just one style and drifts off into a beautiful melodic piano run that find the ambience wrapping textural counterpoints around.

The second track 'Hyperdrive' also takes on a progressive electronic stance but shifts into psychedelic space rock mode with dirty guitar riffs that are accompanied by exhilarating swarms of synthesizers that evoke a Floydian 'Saucerful of Secrets' modality with oscillating pulses of keyboard stabs. 'Wasteland,' the shortest track on the album jumps back into unadulterated Berlin School progressive electronic with spaced out keyboards finding chirping birds slowly fading out and ushering in tumultuous noise that insinuates ensuing chaos but barely takes over the sonic lead before the entire track fades to black.

The title track brings playful although creepy piano tinkles before an unexpected French horn type of sound enters. The piano tinkle loop continues while various instruments join in to craft a veritable avant-prog fueled high octane rock section second half of the track with a steady drumbeat and angelic choir type effects. The tinkling piano remains the common denominator. The closing 'Travels Pt 2' finishes the album with another 10 minute track returning to space rock and Berlin School mode but then breaks into angular avant-prog guitar workouts and chamber rock taking the album on yet another unexpected journey.

This is quite the brilliant debut from JAVIER MIRANDA who excitingly displays a keen understanding of various strains of progressive music all mixed up beautifully in one playing session. The tightrope walk between playful melodic and anarchic avant-garde is perfectly constructed and this is simply a gorgeous album that is entertaining from beginning to end. Imagine Tangerine Dream with Henry Cow and Univers Zero together but neither dominating for too long. That's sort of what you get here and it's all paced perfectly. Excellent debut and i can't wait to hear what comes next.