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GEKKO PROJEKT

Crossover Prog • United States


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Gekko Projekt biography
US quartet GEKKO PROJEKT was formd in 2010, and consist of Vance Gloster (keyboards), Peter Matuchniak (guitars), Rick Meadows (bass) and Alan Smith (drums). All four experienced hands with a shared passion for many types of music and with a particular soft spot for progressive rock.

They have one full length album to their name so far - Electric Forest - which was released in the spring of 2012 on US label ProgRock Records.

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GEKKO PROJEKT discography


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GEKKO PROJEKT top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.31 | 24 ratings
Electric Forest
2012
3.91 | 22 ratings
Reya of Titan
2015

GEKKO PROJEKT Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

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GEKKO PROJEKT Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

GEKKO PROJEKT Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

GEKKO PROJEKT Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Reya of Titan by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2015
3.91 | 22 ratings

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Reya of Titan
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by FragileKings
Prog Reviewer

4 stars "Reya of Titan" is the second album by Gekko Projekt and, like their debut album "Electric Forest", their style remains rooted in the late 1970's. This is accomplished so well that it come across as totally natural and in no way sounds forced or contrived. However, there is at least one noticeable step up from the debut and that is that the music has grown in complexity. While much of the music on "Electric Forest" seemed to be based on an interesting but repeated rhythm (bass line and drums) allowing for the showcasing of Peter Matuchniak's Hackett/Howe inspired lead guitar work and Vance Gloster's vintage keyboard sounds, "Reya of Titan" sees the band stretching out into more challenging time signatures and longer compositions with rhythm changes.

The band is comprised of the same four members, including Rick Meadows on bass and Alan Smith on drums as well as the aforementioned Peter and Vance, but this time they are joined by JoJo Razor providing the female vocals for the character Reya in this concept narrative. The album tells the story of Reya Jones who, in the year 2084, heads to Lunar City to pick up a ship to do asteroid mining and then subsequently barely escapes death after a meteor punctures a hole in her vessel. She is rescued out by Saturn's largest moon Titan, and then everyone becomes marooned on the giant satellite. Rescue does not come and everyone must rebuild the ship and turn it into a habitat for all to live in until help comes. After 24 years a ship arrives from Mars. It seems there has been a war between Earth and Mars which caused the great delay. With so much time having passed and everyone on Titan now comfortable in their new world, Reya says they should vote about returning to Earth or remaining on Titan. They vote to stay and the Martian ship leaves. Reya is pronounced Queen of Titan.

I very much enjoyed the music of "Electric Forest" and it's great to hear the band reaching further on their sophomore release. The sound is warmer than on the debut but at times I feel JoJo's vocals are not easy to hear clearly. Aside from that though, there is a lot of interesting music: some instrumentals and great instrumental sections in the songs. One that stands out for me is the in-your-face odd time signature of "Frienda". The music is simple regarding the mix (as in not heavily layered) but it's nothing you can easily dance to. Another touch I like was how Reya's favourite song "Sing for Me" the final track, can be heard as the radio signal shifts before completely cutting out in "Radio Earth Interlude". We can imagine Reya catching that final Earth signal and hearing her favourite song for a few moments before all contact is lost.

I do find the lyrics are a little cheesy at times but mostly I think it's all part of the late seventies sound. Taken in that context, I have no complaints. I quite enjoy both Gekko Projekt albums but perhaps I like this one a little more. It will be interesting to hear what they do on a third album, hoping that they will record one at some future time.

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by FragileKings
Prog Reviewer

3 stars These days it's common enough to discover an album by a band that was briefly active in the seventies and managed to get in with a record company that gave them at shot or two at putting their material to vinyl only to have the company show no further interest in the band and drop them into the oblivion dust of pop music's forgotten history. The long lost album begins attracting a handsome price among record collectors and before you know it, someone has released the album on CD.

If you didn't know any better, you could be excused for thinking "Electric Forest" by Gekko Projekt was just such an album. Right from the opening guitar notes, which remind me of an early inspiration for Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years", the album seems to have come from another time. The bass, the drums and percussion, the keyboards with their organ and moog synth sounds just sound so 1977/78 that you'll want to double check the release date. And then you might just think that they only released the album in 2012 but that it was actually recorded 35 years earlier.

But no, this debut album by California's Gekko Projekt is indeed a modern rock performance albeit in a very natural and unforced retro style. English-born guitarist, Peter Matuchniak tells us what a particle dance would sound like with his guitar as the album gets underway with an instrumental called "Particle Dance". As the rest of the band join in (Vance Gloster on keys, Rick Meadows on bass, and Alan Smith on drums) we find ourselves in a jazz/rock fusion world of science fiction. Peter's guitar playing sounds remarkably like a young hot shot guitar player of 1977 showing his licks and hoping he'll make the big time. Vance Gloster on the other hand impresses with smooth keyboard sounds that are reminiscent of classic Camel.

Track two is "Black Hole" but it's not about space and physics. It's an interesting rock song with a vocal style that one reviewer likened to older Alice Cooper. Reading other reviews, some people love this song while others find it the weakest on the album. I join ranks with the former. At first it really does sound like some unknown band reaching for radio attention with a tough but sensitive guy voice. But once the chorus gets going it's easy to imagine that this song might have made it to the weekly top 20 somewhere way back then.

Most of the album is actually instrumental and showcases the lead abilities of Peter Matuchniak and Vance Gloster. Peter has a kind of Steve Hackett / Steve Howe style mixed in with his own secret recipe and Vance's keyboards sound like Pink Floyd but played to Camel or Happy the Man. It is in fact the vintage keyboard sounds that endear me most to this album. Though the bass and drums don't roam into symphonic prog territory, they do hold down the rhythm fortress with more than just simple beats and notes. The bass guitar sound really stands out and though it's often set to repeat for a few bars, the bass notes sound very cool.

Two other songs appear amidst the instrumentals: "Avatar Jones" and "October Skies". These tracks are longer and here is where the music explores different routes a little more. However, don't expect this album to be very technical or complex. Atmosphere is given prominence in many a track and simplicity reigns over much of the album, allowing the lead musicians to show their stuff without exerting too much prog muscle.

I find this to be an album full of its own charms. The sound of the instruments and even the production, not to mention the vocals, really capture that lost band of '77 feel. The guitar sound is sometimes a little harsh, but that's also part of the charm. If you should listen to this album before buying it, don't just listen to "Particle Dance" because that track will surely convince you that this album is a must for your collection. Listen a little more first.

I dislike having to star rate this album. I'd feel better grading it 75% and recommending it to people who would think that this is right up their alley. But I know other people are possibly looking for something more complex, with more prog muscle. A worthy debut with potential for the band to take things to the next level. But wait! That might just be coming up on the next album by Gekko Projekt, their 2015 release "Reya of Titan". Hold on!

 Reya of Titan by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2015
3.91 | 22 ratings

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Reya of Titan
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by Windhawk
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars US outfit GEKKO PROJEKT was formed a few years ago, initially as a quartet of experienced hands in the music business. They released their debut album "Electric Forest" back in 2012. Since then the band has been expanded with the talents of vocalist Jojo Razor, and signed to the US label Melodic Revolution Records for the release of their second album "Reya of Titan" in 2015.

Gekko Projekt's second album "Reya of Titan" appears as a well-developed conceptual creation, and documents that the band is well aware of the past of progressive rock, utilizing elements from that past in a somewhat more contemporary and accessible manner. Those who have a strong affection for vintage-like neo-progressive rock should spend some time checking out this album, and then in particular those who treasure music of this kind that feature obvious nods back to bands such as Genesis and Camel.

 Reya of Titan by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2015
3.91 | 22 ratings

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Reya of Titan
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars De Todo Como en Botica

Started this review of the latest GEKKO PROJECT album (courtesy of my good friend Peter Matuchniak) with a Peruvian saying in Spanish that means "Everything as in a pharmacy", because this phrase describes perfectly what Reya of Titan is. This solid album has a bit of everything, from soft oneiric Prog to lush and aggressive keyboard passages in the vein of 70's Symphonic (with a hint of Steve Hackett later albums), all blended with extreme care, but if this wasn't enough they give us a concept that includes Sci Fi, violence, nostalgia and everything a Prog geek as me loves.

The album starts with Elegy, a short introduction with atmospheric guitar by the talented Peter Matuchniak and a digital narration that introduces the listener to Reya's adventures, an asteroid miner who is left abandoned in Titan.

Snow White is opened by a keyboard intro that morphs rapidly into one of the best exhibits of Crossover Prog with mainstream elements that fuse with strong keyboard passages enhanced by the hypnotic voice of Jojo Razor'All followed by a short Radio Earth Interlude created to give coherence to the concept.

Grains of Sand is another oneiric track that presents us Reya's dreams about life and death, with a nice keyboard performance by Vance Gloster and guitar by Peter that provides the necessary atmosphere, for a song about dreams, that is complemented by Jovian Belt and North of Titan in the same vein but this time with the addition of some mysterious elements and some frantic passages in the last song.

The jazzy Frienda marks a turning point in Reya of Titan, from this point the songs gain in strength and intensity, leaving the dreamy tunes behind, more my kind of music with excellent guitar solos that really blew my pre- conceptions about the band.

This is our Home Now is a short epic that starts almost as a VANGELIS track with his characteristic keyboard, but soon turns into a soft rock song but with nice guitar and keyboard sections that go in crescendo until the 3:20 mark, when the whole band explodes with an intensity I didn't expected, in a fusion of different genres that include Psychedelic fugues with frenetic guitar solos by Peter Matuchniak, all supported with an impeccable rhythm section by Rick Meadows (Bass) and Alan Smith in the drums. The best track of the album with 10:30 minutes of pure Prog Rock.

24 Years of Solitude starts with a nice keyboard intro with distinctive oriental influences but then you can expect everything, but specially pleasant when Peter gives us some sort of electric guitar flamenco followed by psychedelic keyboard solos. Another song that every proghead will love.

After 25 years abandoned Reya and her crew receive a visit from an earth vessel in Queen of Titan, so she has a decision to make and again the band offers us an eclectic song with elements of different genres that will be delightful for any Prog Rock listener.

The album ends with the elaborate Escape from the Mines of Titan and the nostalgic Sing for Me, a great closer for a great album.

Now comes the hard part'How should I rate this album? Well, it's evident for me that anything below 4 star would be unfair, because not only the music itself, but also the skills of the musicians, the perfect balance between songs and the overall concept, make of this album a great addition for any musical collection.

At some point I felt tempted to give them five stars, but that would be placing Reya of Titan as the magnum opus of GEKKO PROJECT, but I'm sure that this guys have much more to offer us and I'm convinced that they will release a perfect album in a short time, so will go with 4 stars that would be 4.5 if the system allowed it.

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

3 stars American band Gekko Projekt was bord in 2010 and in 2012 they released their debut named Electric forest. The band consistof Vance Gloster (keyboards), Peter Matuchniak (guitars), Rick Meadows (bass) and Alan Smith (drums). Before this band take form all musicians involved here were already quite known in musical field with experince in this field. About this little album, what we have here is heavy prog, well done and and performed, maybe in some parts is lacking originality but in the end is quite a pleasent release. The music is energic with nice, smooth arrangements but aswell some more heavier sections are present, the instrumental tunes are to me the best, the ones with voice are so so and Black hole being the most unintresting track of the album. There are lots of chordal changes, rhythmic tempos, competent guitar chops and the keyboards are present when needed, the perfect example is opening track Particle Dance, one of the most intresting pieces of the album. All in all, a fairly decent towards great album this Electric forest, with enough good moments to be heared by any prog listner out there. Worth it, 3 stars for sure, 3.5 in places. A nice art work and overall digipak.

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer

4 stars This is a real hotchpotch of a debut album, and I love it. They ought to release "Black Hole" as a single as it is incredibly infectious and I defy anyone playing this in the car not to be singing along to the chorus by the time it comes around for the second time. Now, singles is not something that one would normally think of with a prog band but one of the joys of this album is that if you don't like the style of the song you are listening to then don't worry as there will be another one along in a minute. There are elements of the instrumental 'Cognitive Dissonance' that wouldn't sound out of place on a Weather Report album while Peter Matuchniak's guitar cuts through like Howe or Hackett but with more force.

This is mostly an instrumental album, and keyboard player Vance Gloster is credited as solo composer on most songs (and a co-write on two others) so it is not surprising that at times it can feel that the keyboards are taking over but there never last for long. Alan Smith has a great understanding of the way that drums can add to a song and at times he is very sparing while at others he is dominating and bassist Rick Meadows isn't exactly a slouch either. There is a lot going on here, and musically it is all over the place with leaps in and out of fusion, jazz and many other styles ? but just think of it as a band pushing the barriers and just get into the groove. And don't forget to singalong to "Black Hole". www.gekkoprojekt.com or www.progrockrecords.com

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by Conor Fynes
Prog Reviewer

3 stars 'Electric Forest' - Gekko Projeckt (6/10)

Long before the time Gekko Projeckt and their debut "Electric Forest" rolled around, each of the musicians that comprise this quartet were experienced performers, and this maturity translates well into their poppy melange of prog rock. At forty minutes and ten tracks, they have created an album that even the most delicate rock listener could appreciate. Their talent is evident throughout, although this relatively unambitious take on prog leaves me in want for excitement.

The sounds of King Crimson, Rush, and Camel all find a place in Gekko Projekt. Above all, "Electric Forest" may be seen as an instrumental rock guitar album with a smattering of 'vocal' songs. Instrumentally, Gekko Projeckt find a familiar nook for themselves, drawing in the exploratory nature of fusion jazz with the classic style of symphonic prog. "Electric Forest" is then filtered through a sheath of poppy melodies and accessible song structures. For the most part, this works pretty well, thanks in large part to guitarist Peter Matuchniak's elaborate performance. With particular regards to the beautiful instrumental "Cognitive Dissonance", Peter is skilled with melodic lead playing as much as he is with finding the perfect guitar tone for the mood.

Though fairly few in number, Gekko Projekt throw some vocals our way. Of these, "Black Hole" is the most memorable, a warm and catchy track with some vocals I might expect to find in a folk rock album. The voices- performed on the album by Vance Gloster and Alan Smith- are not excellent from a technical perspective, but warmth and feeling is there. Instrumentally, the music is rarely complex, and, with the exception of Peter's guitar work, the musicianship does not really stand out, although I have a feeling that this is more a result of the fairly straightforward song structures rather than the talent of the musicians themselves.

In short, "Electric Forest" is a pretty enjoyable album to listen to; a fine piece of music to put on while relaxing. It delivers the warmth and sound of prog, however exchanging the genre's typically challenging song structures for accessible compositionship. Fans of Camel will enjoy what Gekko Projekt have to offer.

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars

Some weeks ago my good friend PETER MATUCHNIAK sent me a mail informing me about two new albums and asking for my new address, I was a bit distracted and said "OK I will check them", thinking he would send me two new releases of EVOLVE IV (a Prog Related band that didn't impressed me too much), but to my surprise when the postman left the albums I found that one of them was from a new band called GEKKO PROJECT, so I placed the album Electric Forest in the cd player and was positively surprised. With a formation that includes no EVOLVE IV member except Peter himself, the sound is completely different, with much more strength and excellent organ passages, combining melodic Prog with very pompous and string tracks.

The album starts with Particle Dance and it's excellent guitar intro by Matuchniak, as the song goes on, the keyboards by Vance Gloster take the lead with lush keyboards reminiscent of Clive Nolan, always supported by the guitar and rhythm section. A really good opener that keeps the listener at the edge of the seat.

Black Hole is more a Blues Rock track with some BEATLES influence and a bit of funk, very pleasant but also with a clearly Psyche oriented organ and heavy guitar, not too fond on the vocals but a good change after the pompous opener and before Cognitive Dissonance, in which the previous styles morphs into some sort of Psyche oriented Fusion with and outstanding bass work by Rick Meadows.

In London Vibe the band goes deeper into Fusion territory with an impressive guitar and great drums performance by Alan Smith. At this point of the album GEKKO PROJECT has captivated me because of their versatility and radical changes, all worked with good taste and skills.

Avatar Jones begins as a soft ballad, but around the first minute this changes dramatically when the keyboards take the lead along with some nice vocals, after this point you can expect anything, from YES influenced passages to dramatic and mysterious segments, lots of Psychedelic organ and even some ASIA reminiscent moments, in other words, the dramatic changes a Prog fan expects to listen.

Erdinger is a strange song because despite being powerful and dramatic reminds me of CAMEL specially Moonmadness with a hint of PINK FLOYD, as if it was planned to introduce the listener to the trippy Martian Sunrise, a captivating musical piece.

The album continues with State of Siege, another powerful track with excellent guitar and keys interplay, more oriented towards Rock than to Prog, something that won't bother the Progressive Rock listener because of the exceptional quality of the music, but still the best is yet to come, since October Skies has just everything I can expect from a new band, and that's originality, pay special attention to the brilliant bass sections and the superb drumming in the PINK FLOYD evocative closing section.

The album ends with the short but interesting Particle Dance (Coda) the perfect closer for a very strong album that deserves no less than 4 solid stars, because rarely a new band is so solid and at the same time versatile. I hope that Peter doesn't give priority to his other projects, because this new band has a lot to offer.

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by Evolver
Special Collaborator Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams

3 stars Gekko Projekt, a band from Southern California, on this, their first album, plays a tasty set of melodic rock/jazz fusion (leaning mostly toward the rock side), with an ample helping of prog sensibilities.

The songs, mostly intrumentals, remind me a bit of Eric Johnson's smooth style, although with more rhythm and chordal changes. The musicianship is competant, although the serious fusion fan will not be blown away by the performances. I do appreciate the well thought out tones used by Peter Matuchniak's guitars and Vance Gloster's keyboards.

the only song that feels out of place is one of the few vocal tunes, Black Hole. This is a straight ahead rocker, with vocals reminiscent of Vincent Fournier (Alice Cooper), in his earlier days.

Otherwise, this is a cool album for playing in your car on a warm day with the windows down.

 Electric Forest by GEKKO PROJEKT album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.31 | 24 ratings

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Electric Forest
Gekko Projekt Crossover Prog

Review by Windhawk
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars US based quartet GEKKO PROJEKT is a recent formation sporting members that all bring with them skills developed through several decades as active musicians in various bands and styles, but all of them with a special passion for progressive rock. "Electric Forest" is their debut album, and was released by Progrock Records in 2012.

If you have a fairly liberal taste in music, enjoy compositions of an accessible nature and like bands like Allman Brothers just as much as Camel and Pendragon, Gekko Projekt's "Electric Forest" should come across as a fairly interesting production ? how interesting a matter of taste, as performance and production are of good quality. A promising debut album by an experienced quartet.

Thanks to windhawk for the artist addition.

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