SIGMA

— First review of this album —

While I enjoyed this Brazilian instrumental group's 1998 debut well enough, it wasn't until I brought them to the attention of progarchives a few years ago that a more astute member apprised me of their follow up, 2014's "Singularity". With 3/4 of the earlier lineup intact, the style remains similar, but with a more assertive jazz fusion aspect and an abandonment of new age excursions in favor of rock. The bass and keyboards dominate but occasionally guitars navigate the many detours. SIGMA has been compared to CAMEL and this is superficially appropriate but SIGMA does not tend to parlay their hooks to maximum if not excessive effect. In fact, while the playing is competent and patchily inspired, particularly some of the keyboard work on the closer, not much is memorable or at all unique. It would also be a disappointment to neo prog fans even if the almost total lack of vocals wasn't a turn off, so in summation I recommend the band's previous outing if you insist on starting somewhere.

Perhaps more atypical for a progressive rock site than for a music site in general, this debut - and for 16 years the sole release - by a band whose roots actually go back to the 1980s, is that rare beast, an instrumental neo prog album! Generally our favourite neo groups like to impart a simple message in as many words as possible, like the engineering freshperson shoehorned into an English lit class and attempting to magnify a 200 word idea five fold without inducing all too easy somnolence in their octogenarian prof. Now where was I, says this befuddled sexagenarian. Oh yes, hooray! An instrumental neo prog album.

With currents of jazz throughout, this consistently soothing, almost new agey work is propelled mostly by piano, organ, floating synths, and most distinctively, bass runs that power even the most blase of these tunes. Electric guitar does infrequently appear in the lead but almost as just another keyboard, which nonetheless balances the mix. Unlike in some instrumental albums, these pieces excel without vocals, which would only be a distraction.

As I hinted, "Implemental View" would probably fit somewhere between gypsum and calcite on the Mohs scale, rendering it unsuitable for a jaded prog audience seeking its next sucker punch. But it's very amiable and well played, with some level of structure and light improvisation, and strengthens as it unfolds. "Misleading You", "Run" and "Waves" get a gold star sticker, and, being among the longest tracks, speak well for the group's ability to concoct a sonic scape that captures me long enough to make a difference. In my view, that's a successful implementation for an album in this style.