BRAHIM IZDAG

Again, as always, with Sparkle in Grey's releases this is not Progressive Electronic as such (the same way The Clash, Joe Strummer, Mano Negra or Manu Chao are not Prog, but in a subtle way these band's/musician's stylings are closer in spirit to this release's aural environments), therefore maybe Eclectic Prog and Crossover Prog or both, but not P.E.

That established, let me move on with the review.

Sparkle in Greys, 2016, "Brahim Izdag" is in my S.i.G. collection, probably, its weakest link. No matter how hard I have tried to let myself go, this album lacks the depth, punch and magnetism of their previous works. Of course their experimental side is still there, their provocative lyrical and conceptual focus as always, their flawless and simple beauty when encountered and the musical talent to do so and the refinement to translate their close influences in this album. But still something is missing.

In some sense this release's groundbreaking, creative highlights have already been presented in other of their albums (of course in different forms) and in those, these were part of more deserving showcases.

To cut it short, Sparkle in Grey's less fortunate effort, would be the envy of 1000s of famous or infamous Prog/Rock bands or artists, but not enough for their self marked level of excellence and above all if you are going to be inspired to travel those first mentioned musician's roads, well, you really have to break a leg (or both), those guys, in their own field, were and are the top of the tops.

***3 PA stars.

-(This review was written before PA changed Sparkle in Grey from Progressive Electronic to Post Rock/Math Rock.)

A few years after the excellent and tremendously innovative "Thursday Evening" and "mexico" the Italian post-rockin chamber collective is back with a new release, once more published in cooperation between different independent labels, including Old Bicycle and Grey Sparkle (Matteo Uggeri's own label), based in Italy. The eclectic, energetic and poetically charged apsects of the music is still here and vibrant. However the musical syncretism seems to be brought up a step further with a load of unexpected musical styles and influences, even with some funkadelic and groovy touches. The general mood is dreamlike, with hints of humor-esque extravagence, blissful atmospheres enriched by heavy guitar tricks, plaintive violin lines and various electronic manipulations. Definitely a modern ambodiement of crossover prog, a bridge between the krautrockin' universe of Can, Neu!, La Düsseldorf, openely post-rockin orchestrations and ambient folk expression (especially in the middle section of the album). "Brahim Izdag" is a challenging and dynamic album that will seduce fans of contemporary adventurous music of any kind.