MISC RECORDINGS (1975-79)

There are a lot of songs with vocals and sung in Hungarian by vocalist Enikos Acks, however some of these are are a bit less progressive and more commercially driven.

There are three very interesting pieces on this release, Jazz Fusion sessions with fat sounding Synths and a more prog approach : )

"Napkitores" - Space Rock with Fusion elements, an instrumental 8 miniute epic, thundering drums, thundering bass throughout with loads of Synth landscape, my favourite song on the album, very jazzy orientated.

"Mandarin" - More of a Funk track, with a funky sounding bass played throughout, with loads of synth melodies and background sequencers. More of a funk jazz fusion sounding track.

"Tropusi laz" - Tropical Fever it is also known as, this is the original version recorded possibly in 1976?, the most jazziest track on the album, again very complex playing, drums are superbly played by Csaba Beke and is the main instrument on this version is the saxophone, this is more of a jazz session jamming sounding track, a must hear if your into progressive jazz.

Other tracks consist of poppy tracks and a few electronic tracks, but not very progressive ones, more of a late seventies/early eighties sounding new wave style electro tracks.

The styles are a mix of different styles, but the synths are also the main character of Panta Rhei.

This album is different to the collection released in 2002 under a similar title. Here we have nine tracks, some of which are reasonably long, which for one reason or another were excluded from official albums.

The opening "Dies Irae" starts off sounding like an exact cover of Pink Floyd's "On the run" but quickly changes into a more orthodox female vocal led song with a plodding beat. It is one of five tracks (the first five) here which were recorded for the film projects of director Gabor Body. The following "Napkitores" came about in the same way, but the track sound much more like soundtrack music, with atmospheric noises and vocalising. Midway, the piece changes completely becoming an improvisation on synthesiser.

The light but enjoyable "Mandarin" is a different version here to the one on the 2002 collection. "Grand canyon" sees the band moving further towards fusion, with a funky wah-wah guitar led improvisation. It sounds a bit like a mid-80's American cop show theme. "Tropusi laz" is also rooted in jazz, the brass like synth introduction leading to a saxophone sound (also played on synthesiser).

The final four tracks are shorter less interesting pieces. They are largely forgettable keyboards led interludes with little to distinguish them. "Jossz-e mar" and " Sok az onbizalom " are the only other tracks (apart from track one) on the album to feature vocals, the female voice making for a pleasant diversion.

It is fair to say with Panta Rhei that you should expect the unexpected. Every album, be it an official release or a compilation of outtakes and unreleased material, is radically different to any other by them. This time we have a jazz/fusion based outing, which may not rattle my cage too loudly, but should appeal to those of that persuasion.