A DROP OF LIGHT

All Traps On Earth

Symphonic Prog

4.29 | 567 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

I usually don't review music, but after listening to this album for a couple of weeks, I feel that I have to write a few lines. For this is really amazingly good!

My expectations were quite high when I two years ago heard that �nglag�rds bassist Johan Brand was writing music for a solo project. And the expectations have really been fulfilled!

All Traps On Earth consists of Johan Brand on bass, keyboards, vocals etc., Thomas Johnson on piano and various keyboards, Erik Hammarstr�m on drums and various percussions, and Johan's daughter Miranda Brand on song. All of them are excellent musicians. In addition, there are several guest musicians.

Listening to A Drop Of Light is like stepping into a magical world where just about anything can happen. You are taken through a varied musical landscape with beautiful melodies, jazzy influences, sometimes almost slightly ghosty moods, alternating with more intense and "crazy" parts.

Sometimes the music sounds like sunlight that seals through the foliage in a forest glade, sometimes you can almost hear the outrageous troll stomp and tumble around, followed by something wonderfully jazzy, or something that could have been well suited as film music ... Yes, it is difficult to describe the music, and the experience is certainly different for each one.

The music is varied, complex and intricate, not least rhythmic. Themes are repeated, varied and developed, intensive parties move into quieter and more airy. You can hear influences from classical prog, jazz, RIO, Zeuhl, avant-prog, opera, film music and modern classical music. Maybe even a little Swedish folk tone. Of course one can also hear the kinship with �nglag�rd, but All Traps On Earth is not a "�nglag�rd clone", it is something completely different. Although the music spans such a large field, the work hangs together and it never feels sprawling. The instrumentation is rich with lots of wonderful mellotrons and other keyboards, various woodwind instruments, percussions etc.

Miranda Brand's rich alto voice gives an extra dimension to the music. The song is often wordless, ie the voice is used as an instrument among all others, which is very effective. There is only on one track - the beautiful "Bortgl�mda G�rdar" - with lyrics.

"A Drop Of Light" is a great album that should attract many more listeners than the traditional prog rock listeners. It may not be as easily accessible to the unaccustomed listener, but the album grows the more you listen, I promise!

The entire album is out for listening to Spotify, but I suggest that you should buy it. I am very grateful that there are still musicians who put their whole soul down in doing this ambitious and uncompromising music. Well composed and well produced. This is definitely the Album of the year (2018) for me!

Progressive Woman | 5/5 | 2019-1-26

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