AETHER

This is the debut album from Italian band Aether, a project conceived in 2021, after pandemics, which shares an interesting combination of jazz with atmospheric sounds and prog rock elements. This record consists of 11 tracks that make a total time of 43 minutes of great instrumental music.

Its first track is 'Echo Chamber', a short piece that might work as a soft and delicate introduction to Aether's music. With 'Radiance' we can listen to a sweet and atmospheric track, you can close your eyes and feel relaxed, embraced. The sound is so soft, some guitar at the beginning, then bass, drums and keyboards creating a jazzy experience. For some reason they reminded me a bit of some of the Moonjune Records jazz artists, I believe Aether would nicely fit in that label.

The journey of this Italian quartet (fun fact, 3 out of the 4 members share the name Andrea) continues with 'Thin Air', which starts with some bass lines joined by keyboards a couple of seconds later; then when guitar appear, it creates a kind of Crimsonian sound, so I am sure these guys have some King Crimson love. A bass solo, then drums and a really calm and atmospheric jazz sound than develops into a proggy tune seconss later. 'Grey Halo' is a short track with a kind of melancholic, even sorrowful sound. I recommend to listen to it with nice headphones, so there is a better chance to appreciate its layers, its different sounds. This song has even a soft post-rock sound, which is why I think the band was added to that genre, here in Progarchives.

Then a sudden change arrives with 'Pressure' whose rhythm is more dynamic. Here the addition of keyboard produces that jazz fusion and prog rock sound. There are some signature changes here that makes it quite interesting. I like a lot that though keyboards might be the main element (at least in the first half), the four of the musicians make a great work with each and every of their instruments, so the song is strong, they also play with experimentation, which makes this one of the finest tracks of this album.

'A Gasp of Wind' keeps that delicate jazzy sound at the beginning, but later at minute three the music's intensity increases so it becomes more exciting, with a notable keyboard work. However, the last part slows down, so it finishes as it began. 'That Yellow Tear in a Blue-Dyed Sky' is another atmospheric short track where you can close youre eyes and have a moment of instrospection.

'Moving Away' is another highlight in this album. They spread more energy here with a song closer to prog rock, without leaving the jazz essence. Here we can appreciate a wonderful guitar work that, if you let it, will mesmerize you. With 'The Shores of Bolinas' the post-rock term could be used again, while we listen to a dark, somber atmosphere made by keyboards, and a soft and far guitar work here and there.

Some lines above I mentioned King Crimson, and I could bet the name of this track might refer to them. So it is 'Crimson Fondant', a nice composition with some interesting changes in tempo and mood, blending progressive rock from the 70s (Crimson, Camel, Magma) with a modern sound. The album finishes with 'This Bubble I'm Floating In', which is a nice melancholic track that shares both hope and sorrow. A track that sounds different from all the others, which is something positive.

A nice debut, a new proof of how Italian musicians know how to use their creativity, however, if it was my choice, I would add more moments of intensity, more explosions to their music.

Enjoy it!

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