MAGIC HANDSHAKE

Magic Handshake is the third album released by this (self-proclaimed) "Space Pirate Rock" band from Trondheim, Norway, and is a long awaited album for the fans as it came after a six year absence. From the first track, I was immediately struck by the feeling that I had been swirled back through time through an Austin Powers-esque swirly time machine into the '60s/'70s ? not only does this band have a musical style that harkens back to the psychedelic styling of Piper At the Gates of Dawn (many other late '60s and '70s era prog acts come to mind as well), but the production style chosen, being a bit organic sounding, compliments this sound very well. The keyboards are really the standout piece of this group, I felt, adding a trippy, spacey, at time spooky style that gives the music a rich atmospheric layer that will launch the listener into the stratosphere. This atmosphere is added to by the hard rock styled guitars, sci-fi sound effects, and trippy saxophones. The band shows great energy and talent, and explores this sound by melding in jazz/fusion undertones, as well as bringing in many guests on vocals and wind instruments. They also show skilled compositional skills with subtle rhythm changes and compound time signatures, whilst never overwhelming the listener with technicality. All in all, I found this to be an enjoyable listen.

3.5 stars

Originally written for www.seaoftranquility.org