ILLUMINATIONS

In 2004 Musea released a 2-CD from the USA keyboard driven band Glass entitled "No stranger to the skies" including studio - and live recordings between 1973 and 1975. After more than 30 years Glass decided to make a new CD , here is there brand new album entitled "Illuminations" (the back cover picture shows illuminated Paris by night featuring the river Seine and the Eifel Tower). You can divide this mainly instrumental album into three different kinds of music.

First progrock with vintage keyboards like "The secret life of Aqua J. Leng" (dynamic with strong drums and wonderful Hammond and Mellotron), "Eclipse" (fluent rhythm and bombastic climate with lush Hammond and powerful bass pedals) and "Slightly behind all the time" (pleasant mid-tempo delivering floods of Hammond and a spectacular synthesizer solo).

Second songs with an ambient climate like "The hidden room" (dreamy), "My tantric gatito" (clavinet, flageolets and sound samples) and "Crossing" (fat sequencer sound, jazzy piano and sound samples evoking Tangerine Dream).

And third more experimental tracks like "Isle of dyslexia" (fuzz bass from ex-Soft Machine member Hugh Hopper and tape loops), "Medicine man" (percussive climate featuring hi-hats, temple blocks and timpani), "Delirium" (Hammond waves blended with voice messages samples) and the a bit cacophonic track "Gaia" (featuring 'Canterbury veterans' Richard Sinclair and Phil Miller), a blend of piano, a meditative voice and fiery electric guitar. erik neuteboom | 3/5 | 2005-10-12