OZRIC TENTACLES

3(+), I don't believe that I will enjoy this music anytime soon. But for those who loves this style, it'll be quite sufficient I believe. Nice and properly weird cover.

The opening track starts things off great, serving as a sort of encapsulation of the Ozric's music in one crisp package. The styles morph and blend throughout, and the listener will doubtless find themselves being energized by Ed Wynne's guitar only to be submerssed in an airy cloud of synth and soundscape. The title track's composition is especially strong, sustaining its length with creative transitions and energy. "Yum Yum Tree" rocks, grooves, drifts, splooshes, meditates, spirals all at once, and is satisfying with everything it attempts.

Ozric fans will be immediately satisfied, and new comers will doubtless enjoy the sonic journey offered by this release.

Compared to previous Ozric albums, this one is pretty much a standard affair, standing tall alongside their already stellar catalogue. Juxtaposed to the previous "Spirals in Hyperspace", this one feels much more cohesive and organic sounding, not to mention more full thanks to the additional members. The production is first rate, giving each song a very dense, vibrant sound, and the group's playing is as tight as ever.

Taken as a whole, "The Floor's" songs are mellow, occasionally dream-like, and occasionally frantic. Most take their time in blasting off, and there are only a few moments where Ed Wynne really lets loose with his guitar (his first solo isn't until track 2, and then again until 5). "Jellylips" is an entertaining entry, its rapid sampled and electronic effects sounding like something robots would breakdance to. An abundance of nature sounds and "swooshes" are heard throughout the album, making the majority of it a laid back affair, the higlight for me being the opener and the slowly building, dense "Disdots" .

While very good, and very Ozrics, "The Floors Too Far" needs more to bump it up to 4 stars. Still, for fans of the group it won't dissapoint!

"Spirals in Hyperspace" has a different tone than other Ozric albums, focusing more on electronica and rock. The songs here are very sharp, possessing a clinical edge distinct amongst the group's more organic sounding work. Sound effects take the place of world instrumentation, giving "Spirals" a very technicological feel to it, with Ed Wynne's guitar actually taking a a short break giving way to noisy electonic indulgence. There are some very cool moments to be had here, but I found myself wishing for more.

Another reviewer describes this album as "video game music"-- and that's not too far off the mark, although I don't find the term as pejorative as they. "Spirals" has a lot of energy and crispness, but lacks the depth or class that most other Ozric releases have. This is probably due to the fact that Wynne has arranged most of these tunes with little help. Thus, the songs feel somewhat one-dimensional.

Still, be prepared for a journey that lives up to the album's name.

Track 2. Same speed, nearly the same motives, this time with a guitar solo on top. Ok, the motives are not the same, but they sound so alike.

Track 3. Same speed, slightly different timbres, nearly the same semiquavers motives. Whatever semi-melodic fragment you may find is immediately repeated so that it can't become a melody; this way it merges best into the background.

Track 4. Same speed, this time strictly the same motive, great, too much for me, now turn it off!.

Now, don't get me wrong, this music is well done, really, it could deserve 3 stars. But it's just for die-hard fans. I may enjoy it the first time, but when I reach the end (if I ever get past half way) I've always had more than enough of it.

So what about this one?

I was expecting the worse when I listened to the opening number ("Chewier"). I can't really stand these noises (same feel during "Plasmoid") and I could only hope that thing would improve. And it is the case.

The long title track is a remarkable mix between jazz, fusion, and metal music. Well balanced and perfectly interpreted. This track holds even some "Santana" references and gives a breathe of fresh air in terms of variety in their work. My highlight.

The same sort of feeling is brought by "Slinky", that offers some fine and soft keyboard layers, combined by an excellent bass play. It gets more upbeat for the second half. This track sounds fully jazzy (but on the soft side). The last section of this almost nine minutes track holds some brilliant guitar work to be complete. A good piece of music.

"Toke A Tola" starts as a good old ELP extravaganza! Powerful synths for a brilliant opening, but after one minute, the song turns again into a more jazz/funk affair (as a good chunk of this album actually). The song ends on a more soft and spacey beat which is quite elegant.

Some space-rock combined with Oriental mood brilliantly opens "Oakum". After a minute or so, the sound seriously leans on TD (which is not to dislike me of course) and the soft keyboards are quite pleasant. The song gets more upbeat after three minutes and the interplay guitar - keyboards is excellent. Quite dynamic and performing for a good bunch of it, the song reverts to a softer mood for the closing section. Another good moment out of this "Spiral In Hyperspace".

This album is made of several long pieces (between seven and nine minutes); during "Psychic Chasm", one can find the usual OT music: a combination of upbeat space- rock together with some electronic phantasmagoria. Average.

The closing "Zoemetra" introduces fine Oriental flavours again (this is not a new feature from the band). The percussion work is pretty good and it is a nice way to close this good album.

This work should please any jazz-rock fan; it is a good album which combines different influences. The mix could have been more in favour of space-rock than jazz to get a higher score. As such: three stars.

If you want one album from them I would recommend this Erpland. If you'd like two, you could choose the 2CD package with Jurassic Shift. If you like more then two, then ... Hej! Why should you? They're all exactly the same, only a bit up to a lot less exciting then this one.