FRAMTIDEN ÄR ETT SVÄVANDE SKEPP, FÖRANKRAT I FORNTIDEN

This Swedish band investigated several musical orientations: psychedelic, folk, even heavy prog at times like during the long opening number which is quite hard to describe. Quite dark and repetitive, the music never lifts off really. These "Two Hours..." are a difficult way to approach the universe of "Älgarnas Trädgård".

I prefer the folkish atmosphere of "There Is A Time?": nice fluting and some fine sitar conveys a deep melancholic feel. I discovered this work only lately (some three or four years ago), and I was expecting some more due to the high ratings I could read on PA. When I listen to "Children of Possibilities", "La Rotta" or "Viriditas", I can't feel any emotion at all: medieval stuff with little savour to my taste. The last one is particularly painful (mainly due to the "vocals").

The first truly great track is the totally disjointed and psychedelic "Rings Of Saturn". Sure that they didn't only smoke cigarettes while playing this gorgeous psyche hymn. Lots of Floyd influences: just listen to the drumming which is not far from STCOTHOTS ("Set The Control?") and of course the mighty ASOS for the loose (but great) approach. The highlight with no doubt nor discussion.

But still, this sounds a bit too "short" to make a masterpiece out of this album. I also quite like the closing and title song ("The Future?"). It sounds as a TD travel into the high spheres of the universe and is more in line with what I understand as psychedelic / space rock music. Still, don't expect any of the great and beautiful synth parts as the masters would have displayed.

I would say that fortunately enough, the latest CD edition offers two bonus tracks which prolong the "Framtiden?" adventure for almost twenty minutes (or half of the length of the original album).

The first one ("5/4") is some sort of extension of the closing track: a gentle psyche song which is adding thick Oriental layers to it. The song is rather hypnotic and works very well indeed. How did the band prefer to release the original album with several avoidable and short songs instead, is quite a mystery.

"The Mirrors Of Gabriel" is a very tranquil song which borrows to the early Crimson. Fine keyboards, some oppressive mood. I compare it with a enhanced version of "Moonchild". While it gets towards the end, the early Floydean feel prevails.

Thanks to the bonus material, I rate this album with three stars. No more actually. It sounds somewhat overrated here.