ECHOES FROM THE UNDERTOW

DAAL's DAvide Guidoni issues the 2018 result of a solo project he'd been working on outside of his work with ALfio Costa. Very nice progressive electronic music.

Track 1, "Far from the Madding Crowd" (2:56) sounds like disc 2 of David Sylvian's "Gone to Earth" with slower sections/interludes similar to Rick Wakeman's "Six Wives of Henry VIII." (8/10)

Track 2, "Lakeshore" (6:01) opens sounding like something from Hans Zimmer's "The Last Samurai" soundtrack before moving on to emulate violin-dominated work of Peter Gabriel collaborator SHANKAR on "The Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack," the work of Canadian electronic violinist Hugh Marsh with Bruce Cockburn in the 1980s and solo thereafter, as well as the work of many prog electronic artists including STEVE ROACH, ROBERT RICH, and YVES POTIN (JazzComputer.org). (9/10)

Track 3, "Overwhelming" (4:58) sounds as if it could come from PULSAR's "Halloween" as well as some of KLAUS SCHULZE's 1970s and soundtrack music. Mostly sound effects, creepy voices, and distorted sound until the symphonic second half. (8.5/10)

Track 4, "Echoes from the Undertow" (6:10) This one sounds like music from Belgian masters of cinematic music, BATTLESTATIONS, with the addition of treated trumpet á la Kenny Wheeler, Mark Isham, or early Jon HASSELL with DAVID SYLVIAN. GREAT song! It's only flaw is it's lack of dynamic development over its six minute course. (9/10)

Track 5, "The Cold Time of Solitude" (5:37) cello and viola over progressive electronic music alternating with primo STEVE HACKETT electric guitar soloing. Great tension and engaging melody (á la Maestro Hackett) throughout. (9.5/10)

Track 6, "Descending Mist" (a 20 minute epic!) (20:28) could come straight out of the musical repertoire of ALIO DIE, ROBERT RICH, STEVE ROACH, early TANGERINE DREAM and KLAUS SCHULZE, as well as so many 21st Century Prog Electronic songs and artists. Cool, eerie song! (34/40)

Track 7, "Homeward Bound" (5:38) is interchangeable with any symphonic cinematic concept album outro, like from the SEVEN REIZH albums, FREQUENCY DRIFT, LEBOWSKI, ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, MY EDUCATION, even Genesis artists' solo albums (HACKETT, BANKS, RUTHERFORD, COLLINS). (7.75/10)

Four stars; a collection of great cinematic music in the tradition of such masters as PULSAR, TANGERINE DREAM, STEVE HACKETT, PETER GABRIEL, LEBOWSKI, KLAUS SCHULZE, and even GOBLIN. An excellent contribution to the progressive electronic subgenre!

Despite involvement in numerous Italian prog-rock projects over the last couple of decades, multi-instrumentalist Davide Guidoni is primarily known for his part in experimental duo DAAL. B-Rain, a play-on-words of `Brain', and meant to reflect a `mental rain' that the artist feels was his general frame of mind throughout this debut 2018 recording, acts as his first solo release, and is the very definition of eclectic! `Echoes from the Undertow' might retain traces of his Daal `day job', but primarily it moves in electronic, soundtrack and ambient directions, as well as incorporating touches of goth, jazz and symphonic. Mood and unhurried ambiance is key here, and the whole disc maintains a sumptuously cultivated atmosphere the whole way.

`Far From the Madding Crowd' is a spectral opener of gently weeping synths, icy Mellotron slivers and sombre electric piano musings, with just a few fleeting Jean-Michel Jarre-like wisps creeping in. The exotic `Lakeshore' unveils trickling synth programming that repeats into infinity around searing electric violin and meditative bamboo flute, ending up not far removed from the works of Robert Rich and even Kitaro, although the piece takes some unexpectedly ominous and urgent turns in the second half. `Overwhelming' is a gothic sound-collage of falling rain, creaking effects and intangibly whispering voices eventually permeated by grandiose orchestration, and the title track `Echoes from the Undertow' unfurls twitching programming, distorted weary trumpet weariness, moody synth caresses and Yves Potin/Jazzcomputer-like electric guitar jangles.

A complete change of direction, `The Cold Time of Solitude' could have appeared on most of ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett's solo discs, a symphonic theme of stirring cello, violin and regal electric guitar reaches rising up around scratchy Mellotron coatings. Mysterious and aloof, the twenty minute `Descending Mist' is primarily an ambient drone in the manner of Steve Roach , but there's a faint Seventies horror movie eeriness to its lurking electronic pulses, Mellotron drapery and chiming guitars (think Italian soundtrack legends Goblin). With sighing voices and the overall brooding unease, the whole quietly dramatic piece is captivating and completely mesmerizing. Thankfully, closer `Homeward Bound' is then a gently stirring acoustic finale that proves joyful, comforting and victorious.

Davide has delivered a tasteful and luxurious work of enticing subtlety and great variety here on his first B-Rain disc, and if any of the artists mentioned above interest you, chances are you find similar qualities to connect with their music here. While `Echoes from the Undertow' may not be something you'll listen to every day, each time you do, this elegant work of refinement and poise will cast a truly bewitching spell.

Four stars.