SYMBIOSIS

As an Ozric fan for 20 years I felt obliged to check out some of the bands they've gigged with through the years. Boy did I get a suprise with the Finnish 5 piece Hidria Spacefolk. I've been mulling over all their albums for a while before submitting a review. Any review is going to be limited because I have not seen these guys live. OK .. Symbiosis. Nine Tracks of spacerock. Zero vocals. OK that solves the headache to deciphering the deep philosophical mouthings Terra Hidria I & II: acoustic guitar that reminds me of Phil Keaggy (that's a big compliment in my book). Kaneh Bosh finds a new sound with what sounds to my ill-trained ear arabic overtones with a hint of pulsating zeppelin tempered by early marillion. kaikados throbbes (a term for Ozric fans). Nasha Universo has a gorgeously syncopated opening groove with Tull-esque flute. Gotta say that I've never quite heard anything like it. Then it settles in to a contagiously boppy theme. Music that a thousand student unions would love to move to. break down. Parra diddle out welcome back jethro tull with jon lord guesting .... Just excellent. Jahwarp. INteresting bass. Nice playing but (being picky) I would have preferred Kimmo Dammert to have had a cleaner sound with more attack. Nevertheless an intriguing track. Sometimes the transitions are a little harsh (but the same could be said of Topographic Oceans which is one of my all time favourites) but even so they drag along over the rough edges, and maybe that's what good music should do. I-mantra (very high tempo opening (not my cup of Tea)) "each to their own" as my ma says. Pangaia, beautiful bass groove. Hidria craeate a dense soudstage but still captivating. The everpresent Teemu Kilponen impresses. Agent Entropos: there's no point ... just listen to this. Short but hilarious. My favourite.7 stars You know, this is doing an injustice. I always try to describe new music by comparing it to what has gone before. None of us live in a vacuum so that will always be valid, but it may only serve to pigeon hole the band in the reader's mind. If you like Ozric Tentacles you WILL like Hidria. In fact, the local Ozric fans are completely bowled over by this Finnish outfit. Please come to Belfast!!! Such is the impact of this group that there are already 6 of us planning a trip to Finland to catch a gig. Rating ...5 because I really do think this is one that anyone interested in spacerock must listen to. And if not this one then Balansia