ESCENES

Gotic's lone contribution, as often the case among Spanish prog bands, came about relatively late in the game, yet was quite untouched by popular music's sea change of the day. The instrumental album (I think there is a bit of a shout at some point, but that's it) is a delicate arrangement of eclectic flute over lite jazzy keyboards and a nimble rhythm section. Mellotron unassumingly infuses the potpourri here and there, and guitars of both stripes tend to have pointed impact in only a few places.

Influences from classic 1970s prog - CAMEL and RICK WAKEMAN for instance - are integrated with the local sounds of the era to produce a sophisticated final product. Another point of reference, especially during the more melodic woodwind passages, is the German group ROUSSEAU or, more recently, Zuffante's HOSTSONATEN, based on common influences, and in "La Revolucio" I hear the green fields of Galicia. "I Tu Que Ho Veies Tot Tan Facil" blows in on an Arabic wind and makes me think of some of ASIA MINOR's work. The most compelling cut is also the longest and the finale, in which the flute and mellotron combination attains its most enthusiastic level.

A pretty album with some chops, "Escenes" is progressive mood music and the antithesis of Gothic, but if you like the description, it might just be your scene.