A SOUND & SPACE, AGREED

Onevoice is the pseudonym of a new artist from New York, USA, his name is Dan Costello and he appears to be a multi-instrumentalist and a singer.Citing Genesis, Yes and Rush as his main influences, he recorded and released his debut ''A sound and space, agreed'' in September 2013, making it available as a bandcamp free download.While no credits regarding the recording had been launched, it seems certain that he recorded this album all alone with only some help on female vocals.

Costello has done a great job, recording and mixing the vocal and instrumental parts of the album, which seem to be the key factors for offering a decent one-man album, as ''A sound and space, agreed'' could have been easily a team effort.Regarding the compositions, there range from decent to even excellent.Does his main influences appear on the album?The answer is yes, albeit more in the background, Costello actually uses the pomposity of the aforementioned legendary groups as a guiding light towards a very fresh and contemporary style, which also contains a heavy dash of Pop sensibilities.His work here reminds me of the solo albums by Sky Architect's drummer CHRIS with strong overtones by the sound of PHIDEAUX, A.C.T., ACTIVE HEED and JOHNNY UNICORN.His music is characterized by poppy vocal lines over a trully melodic still progressive content, which includes playful piano lines, tricky keyboards and dynamic guitar parts.A nice mix of Neo Prog, synth-driven Sympho Rock and Pop, featuring lots of grandiose keys, sometimes with a Classical background, flashy and powerful synths, atmospheric soundscapes and a great number of tempo changes, eventually delivering a nice little treasure.Moreover Costello found a way to create a very natural sound, even if the drum parts, for example, are definitely programmed.Costello's music menu contains also some very dramatic tunes in the vein of Classic Prog bands, which combined captivating arrangements with melodramatic lyrical textures.

Under-the-radar dynamic, updated and fresh Prog Rock release.Mostly keyboard-based, featuring fast-paced rhythms, intense melodies, pleasant tunes and intricate breaks.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.