SOMA.PLANET

A Catalan band from Mataro, Soma Planet were formed in mid-90'd by painter/singer Ivan Jorda and guitarist/singer Tete Pérez.By the end of the 90's bassist Marc Prat and drummer Angel Abad join the band.Two years later Jorda quits and keyboardist Marc Trullas along with sax/flute player Francesc Furmi replace him.Only Furmi would make it in the long run and the band released indepedently the self-titled debut in 2003.The album features several guests on keyboards and traditional instruments as well as Ivan Jorda on vocals.

A quite intricate and eclectic effort,''Soma Planet'' swirl from Jazz-Rock and Fusion to complex prog and from Ethnic/Folk-Rock to Psychedelic Rock in a blink of an eye.It is an album full of different soundscapes, consisting from fully structured material to improvisational parts and from passages with almost theatrical vocals to long instrumental dissonances.To compare their sound as a mix of modern KING CRIMSON, WEATHER REPORT, MYTHOS and EMBRYO would not be very far from truth.The guitar work is very interesting with definite ROBERT FRIPP vibes and the bass lines are great as well.But it is the varied instrumentation and the changing intensity, which give the band this extra color.Obscure ethnic soundscapes full of flutes and saxes, jazzy parts again with sax but also piano on the forefront, modern psychedelic flourishes with fine guitars and a good amount of breaks and interplays offer series of interesting moments.Add to all these the nice keyboard work by the guests.Electric piano, synthesizers and some electronics making the band sound contemporary and even richer.The vocal parts are satisfying as well with a dramatic expressive touch, all sung in English.

Modern Psych meets folsky Jazz-Rock meets KING CRIMSONIAN Prog in this obscure listening.Most of the moments are more than just interesting and only some stretched abstract instrumentals spoil the listening a bit.An album definitely worth of investigation.