ZOPP

This is very likely my album of the year for 2023. I need a couple of weeks to finalize that list but in the meantime after two spins of "Dominion" I'm thinking top ten for sure but it won't crack my top five. Well after 5 spins I'm adoring this record and hailing it as the best record I've heard from this past year. Ryan Stevenson plays just about every instrument known to man then we get LEVIATHAN's drummer making ZOPP a duo plus six guests including two females doing their Northettes impression. Three of the guests are playing sax with two of those adding flute.

Beautiful cover art and thanks for the post card version of it that came with the cd only this is a closer-up version of it with different colours. Funny picture of Ryan looking lost in the sea of tall grass too in the liner notes. I can't get over all the distorted keys and organ on here plus mellotron. Not fair! Too good to be true. I really like the drumming and the bass is upfront plus we get electric piano. The guest sax and flute really adds a lot to the sound here.

And while this is a straight-up Canterbury album a song like "Bushnell Keeler" is more Jazz Rock and brings so many bands to mind. A feel good track if there ever was one for yours truly. I like the RPI-like pulsating organ on "Reality Tunnels". This song hits the ground running and different instruments will lead. Lots of energy and Canterbury at 2 1/2 minutes.

The two tracks though that steal the show here are "You" at 11 minutes and the closer "Toxicity" at over 14 minutes. Dreams do come true. Man the emotion after 6 1/2 minutes on that closer is just a small piece of the joy this record brings me. Love the distortion, keys, vocals, sax and guitar late on "You" but the closer might be better, flip a coin but that's 25 minutes of some of the best music I've heard this year.

We are very fortunate to have a talent like Ryan Stevenson making our music and for me he just out-did his debut and then some.

Ok, this is new for me. I've seen reviews of this album for months, and although I've listened to some songs and even recommended them here, yesterday was the day and I took a walk listening to this album. What a surprise!

I'm kinda new with this genre and musical style, not a big fan to be honest, but after listening to that I'm curious ;)

This album is a nice psychedelic jazz influenced trip, with that Canterbury sound, that can transmit different emotions in a few minutes.

It starts with that intro "Amor Fati" really mystic, weird but with an excellent orchestration, you don't know what to expect from this album. "You" kicks in with distorted guitars and organs, vocals are excellent, nice trip. "Bushnell Keeler" is the perfect example of that mix of feelings, as it starts rhythmic with psychedelic melodies and becomes more chaotic at the end. But you have calm and contemplative moments like in "Uppmärksamhet" (so beautiful).

The icing on the cake... the last song. "Toxicity" brings you lots of textures, virtuosity and an intense ending for this great album.

I've discussed the Canterbury sound on this site a number of times. Its heyday?like much of progressive rock?was back in the early 1970s, but even then it was somewhat niche. Despite that, there are a few acts still keeping this sound alive, and Zopp is one of the best ones.

Zopp's 2020 self-titled debut wound up being one of my top albums for the year, though I never reviewed it before my year-end best-of list. It wasn't some late-in-the-year surprise for me; I just never got around to covering it. But I don't want to have that be the case again. The two pre-release singles for Dominion had both been great, so I went into this record with pretty high hopes. On their Bandcamp, the band describes this album as being closer to Yes or Marillion than any Canterbury act, but I have to disagree. If I'm looking for good comparisons, I'm still going to cite Soft Machine, Gong, and (especially) Caravan.

This new album opens on "Amor Fati", and a weird, celestial blend of guitar, organ, and wordless vocals set the scene. It's a short introductory track, but it does a good job at conjuring the mood for what is to come.

What follows is the 11-minute lead single, "You". A tense ostinato piano drives its introduction along, and multiple organ parts flesh out the overall sound. It eventually bursts into a fuzzed-out, extended section of soloing that is virtuosic and complex without being smothering or off-putting. Buzzing bass and a uniquely-Canterburian organ tone lead into a lightly jazzy verse. Zopp was an instrumental record, so the inclusion of vocals is a new development for this duo. Everything-but-the-drummer Ryan Stevenson's voice reminds me of that of Alex Crispin of Diagonal, and the piano-forward backing only underscores that comparison. The song features an interesting, Beatlesesque melody in its second half, and the fusing of psychedelic and progressive sounds works great.

Saxophone takes the lead in the opening of "Bushneil Keeler". This song has a bouncy feel to it, and strands of jazz and folk are noticeable. This instrumental cut has some great momentum, and the way the sax, organ and flute play around each other is highly satisfying.

"Uppmärksamhet" (Swedish for "Attention," according to Google Translate) starts with a lazy, glassy organ. Acoustic guitar and adds a woodsy character, and fuzzy guitar languidly floats over the top. This song acts as a nice, relaxing palate cleanser between the higher-octane cuts on Dominion.

Speaking of higher-octane songs, "Reality Tunnels" launches into an irregular, jumpy riff, where organ and guitar synchronize on a crunchy lead. Mellotron adds a lushness to the backing track, and though it's never given the uninterrupted spotlight, I really like the bass work on this song.

"Wetiko Approaching" is a short song, with strong folk influence in the vocal melody. The instrumental backing is relatively pared-back, and it feels more like a lead-in to the next song than a composition meant to stand on its own.

Dominion ends on its longest song, the 14-minute "Toxicity". The rhythm is propulsive, and that distinctive Canterbury organ tone is once again at the forefront. Stevenson's vocals here are strong, complementing the creative and dynamic composition. It's impressive how the band is able to keep up the energy and intensity without this track becoming tedious or exhausting. As the song enters its final few minutes, there's a sense of upward momentum, and an extended instrumental passage that sounds like it would have been at home on Hot Rats is a lovely inclusion.

Dominion is a fantastic release, and it's an improvement on Zopp's stellar debut. The integration of vocals is smooth and organic, and the music has a satisfying complexity and a rich breadth of tones. They nail the mingling of organ, crunchy guitar, and wind instruments; and the Canterbury sound hits that sweet spot of retro-but-not-derivative.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2023/02/20/album-review-zopp-dominion/

The Canterbury scene of the early 1970s was one of prog's most recognizable and most idiosyncratic movements. It's been experiencing a small revival as of late: Homunculus Res (featured in part one of this list) utilizes many Canterbury tropes, and other acts incorporate Soft Machine or Gong influences semi-regularly. Zopp wholeheartedly embraces the Canterbury sound and invigorates it with a fresh and modern energy. The retro organ tones are delightful, and a driving, jazzy energy sucks the listener right into the first proper song, "Before the Light". Each song is distinct. Some feature dark, discordant moments and others feel light and sunny. Most songs deftly blend both sides. What makes this even more impressive is that this is an instrumental record.

Review originally posted here: //theeliteextremophile.com/2021/01/14/top-50-prog-albums-of-2020-part-2-25-1/

You could fit all I know about the Canterbury Scene on the head of a pin and still have room for the Chinese Army, but the good news is that that's the last of such clichés we will be employing in this review.

I've enjoyed some Caravan and Soft Machine from time to time, but overall, the genre didn't feature prominently in my album rotations. So when I noticed Zopp's 2023 release Dominion getting a huge amount of buzz among prog fan circles, I gave the album a fair listen.

My preconceived trepidations led me to expect a challenging, impenetrable, or deeply inscrutable work, predicated around the apprehension that the album showcased self-indulgent meanderings in lieu of connective musical artistry. Boy, am I pleased to report that this couldn't be any further from my experience with Zopp's sophomore album.

While it does not suffer from any lack of intricate musicianship, compositional innovation, or Canterbury-laden idiosyncrasies, the album skillfully suffuses them along and among enthralling melodic content. Dominion is a thrilling and impactful fusion of numerous progressive rock elements into a cohesively engaging work.

The slow organ drone, keyboard-driven riffs, soft drumming, and abstract vocalizations by Sally Minnear and Caroline Joy Clarke on the opening track 'Amor Fati' might lead one to believe the record is immediately diving deep into avant-garde territory. Make no mistake though, these and other disparate elements culminate into a driving musical purpose that leads directly into the second track 'You,' a riveting 11-minute showcase, almost a mission statement.

Stevenson's keyboards and Moneta's drumming ramp up 'You' with swirling musical tension as a prologue, and then powerfully resolve into the song's intro, developing its central melodic themes. Drenched in fuzzy keyboards and Stevenson's affected, slightly nasal vocals, alongside tasty sax work from Mike Benson, 'You' engages so directly that, when the sojourn ends after 11 minutes, it still feels sudden. Not jarring or incomplete by any means, but sudden. You don't want the ride to end.

'Bushnell Keeler' moves into different but no less intriguing territory. Almost out of the gate, the song hits us with some predominant tenor sax work from Jørgen Munkeby, which, complemented by Stevenson's organ lines, lends an air of Steely Dan-esque Yacht Rock jazziness. Munkeby also provides some flute accompaniment, and the fuzz and distortion used to beef up the overall tone evokes early King Crimson. With all these disparate elements, it could be easy to lose the thread, but Stevenson brings the entire mix into resolution as a satisfying, complete piece. 'Bushnell Keeler' disarms with its breezy, uptempo melodic charms.

"Uppmärksamhet" drops the tempo with a somber, melancholic keyboard rumination in quiet conversation with a reassuring bass line. A shimmering piano line falls like raindrops over an acoustic guitar backbone, with outbursts of electric organ and guitar like desperate voices working through the atmosphere to grab our attention. Of all the album tracks, this is the only one that I felt needed more time and development, as the hypnotic scene painted by all the instrumentation is quickly shattered by "Reality Tunnels."

"Reality Tunnels" hits hard, fast, and with the immediacy of a grade school recess bell. The aura is frenzied and dynamic, with a heavy focus on its driving rock elements. Here is where we have some really strong bass work that is prominent through the track, locked in place with Moneta's drumming but still with room to really walk and groove. Moments of distorted havoc are balanced with piano interludes that attempt to bring the song's frenzied eccentricities in for a soft landing, but instead opts for resolution via mellotronish dissolution (alongside a final drum fill from Moneta). "Reality Tunnels" is a satisfying romp, a total brat of a tune: childish, petulant, and utterly unyielding.

We take a breather with "Weitko Approaching," in which Stevenson returns to the microphone to deliver a measure of a piano-driven ballad. With its subdued, somewhat shambling atmosphere, this is the shortest and perhaps least- developed song on the album. Viewed as a prologue into the next track, "Weitko Approaching" works much more effectively.

And speaking of the next track, "Toxicity" triumphantly closes the record in grand fashion. This piece indulges the listener with a thick melodic fusion of symphonic and eclectic prog, flowing with both purposeful uptempo drive and a loose, innovative spirit. The centering riff roots itself in bluesy, minor pentatonic territory, practically Zeppelinesque, providing the foundation around which Stevenson and company layer a barrage of dynamic musical content. Stevenson's howling vocals remind me of Sting and Ross Jennings (in style if not quite in timbre), bringing assertive inquisitiveness into the mix.

The song maintains momentum with multiple instrumental stretches featuring organ, sax, and guitar solos scattered throughout its runtime. There are even two vocal shout outs to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, who Stevenson cited as one of the album's inspirations. Rob Milne's sax and flute work deserves recognition for adding splashes of tone and character that contribute to the song's overall cohesive flow. "Toxicity" might be the most musically concordant ode to entropy I've heard in a good while. And much like the epic opener, when the closing track ends, even at 14 minutes, it still feels too soon.

Dominion is a great album. I mean it though, this record provides uptempo rock, proggy innovation, jazzy swing, tight musicianship, and impressive compositional development throughout. Sure, you can appreciate any and all of the lofty, innovative elements, but these songs go for both the head and the heart. While I could (and did) nitpick some very minor criticisms, none of them detract from the album's overall quality. Zopp crafted a deeply engaging and satisfying experience with Dominion.

A second offering from one of the most exciting new bands on the prog scene. Here they gently push their sound beyond the Neo-Canterbury of their debut into the wider world of psychedelic and experimental rock. We still get lashings of distorted organ, jazz-tinged chord progressions, knotty rhythms and unpredictable melodies; but the addition of vocals and electric guitar expands their compositional range in intriguing new directions.

Dominion is an album full of texture, depth, and pioneering spirit. Zopp may still be drawing heavily on the past masters, but they appear to no longer be in hock to them. This is definitely a good thing.

Track Highlights: You, Toxicity

Well Executed and Enjoyable Retro-Canterbury - Nothing More, Nothing less

I am a big fan of Dave Stewart's dirty organ. Not like that, Beavis. Clearly I am not alone, as Ryan Stevenson (Zopp being the name of his solo project) seems to have made a study of Stewart as part of his life's work. One of my favorite prog albums of all time, Khan's Space Shanty, is a Stewart showcase. As a result, from the opening minutes of Zopp's Dominion, my ears perked up quickly. To my delight, the entire album has Stewart's signature all over it, and not just the distorted keys. There are compositional choices, instrumentation, and overall tone that evoke not only Khan but Stewart's other projects such as Egg and National Health.

I am not a fan of all Canterbury. I like the jazzier, complex compositions and less the whimsy and completely avant garde attempts within the genre. (I don't like Caravan and Soft Machine as well as the aforementioned bands). Zopp / Stevenson hits the sweet spot for me in that regard. All the songs are very intentionally composed, have a lot going on at once, and utilize a broad palette of textures. Male and female vocals, horn sounds, guitars, and a wide variety of key sounds - all the ingredients are here. Most importantly, Z/S is a very good instrumental songwriter. I think the compositions develop well, move me through a range of emotional headspaces, and that the record is well mixed and performed.

Some reviewers have complained that this is derivative and it is. They state the originators including Stewart were boldly going where no one had gone before and that Stevenson is treading no new territory - and they are right. However, the same can be said of a vast number of bands, many of whom are all aping the same narrow set of musical acts. There aren't that many retro-Canterbury acts, especially this particular lane in the Canterbury style. As I've said in other reviews, you don't always have to re-invent the wheel. And there is only so many times I can re-listen to Space Shanty. Having new material in this wheelhouse is a great joy.

Finally, the fact that this music has some modern polish and is not swinging for seats and sometimes missing means that it could be a good entry point for fans of other segments of prog to try out Canterbury.

I don't think this is a masterpiece and doubt this will be my personal album of the year, but it's a great piece of work that I've listened to as many times as any other album in 2023 so far. Cheers to the artist.

Zopp is a one-man (person/AI?) band from Nottingham, UK. Ryan W Stevenson is composer, mixer, producerand performer, a trend we see more and more in these financially troubled times. Thankfully he employs the services of a real drummer in addition to a little help from his friends. His new offering "Dominion" follows hot on the heels of the well-received debut "Zopp". Unfortunately that is where the good news ends. The canterbury-esque influences are plainly in evidence, ranging from the foxy little organ sound reminscent of Hatfield & The North's Dave Stuart, to the Soft Machin-ish saxophone and the sweet female choirs. But comparing this output to Soft machine, Hatfield or National Health does the creators of the canterbury movement little or no justice. Zopp haven't managed to raise the bar compared to their excellent debut, a difficult feat for any artist. A comparable group such as Alco Frisbass are able to get motre exciting with each successive release. Or have listen to Richard Sinclair's wonderful collaboration with Accordi dei Contrari in "Il L'Ombra di un Sogno". Truly canterbury for the modern age. Not looking back but trying something very different. This is Caravan with more talent, better playing, more experimentation. However all is not doom and gloom. First and foremost, this an instrumental album, which already makes it more interesting and challenging in my book. Next, it feels like an organic whole, where every track is connected to the next. The songs "You" and "Amor fatis " are a cut above the rest and make you settle back in your armchair and crank the volume. This pleasure is short-lived and I cannot award more than 2 stars for this failed attempt at a worthy successor to Zopp the 1st.

It's an almost 100% repeated musical product. If not recycled. A sort of a meal that once had been already eaten. Often compared to Egg or National Health, in other words, Ryan Stevenson as a composer is often compared to Dave Stewart as a composer. But Mr Stewart discovered and explored new musical continents, while Mr Stevenson just plays Canterbury like a game. And what was a revelation in the music of Egg or National Health (full of life) turned into armchair academism in the music of Zopp (artificially sophisticated). Yes all the albums by Egg (especially The Civil Surface) and National Health (especially D.S. Al Coda) were mostly built of illogical sound constructions, as well as is Dominion. But just remember all those mad combinations of sounds in (for example) A Visit To Newport Hospital: all were really interdependent (while remaining mad). On the contrary, seemingly similar sound constructions and even themes here in Dominion are mostly unnatural. The only exception is the middle section of Toxicity which is really mighty, real-life and full of sincere emotion. As for the rest... well, it might sound great if composed and released back in 1970s in the fairway of Canterbury protagonists. Then Zopp would take its place as an excellent 'second echelon' Canterbury band. But as an original and independent phenomenon of 2020s, Zopp does not work. Though nobody will dispute that Stevenson plays a lot of instruments really fine. As a composer, he has enough talent and more than enough professionalism but lacks effrontery. (In a good sense of course.)

Some years ago I really wondered, why Wobbler´s "From Silence To Somewhere" was in the very high place in Progarchives All Time Progalbums list. Now the same seems to happen to Zopp's second album. I am not saying that Wobbler´s album is bad, but does it really belong in the all time prog albums list? My opinion is: really not! So I decided to listen "Dominion" if there really is some substance in the hype this time.

I am afraid I have to say there´s not. As Wobbler album, this is not sounding bad. But question is in every great music to me is there anything new? Not in "Dominion". All the way it reminds me Hatfield And the North or National Health -albums, well maybe this is little bit softer and less complicated. I believe if this album had released under one of those bands names, nobody would have suspected there be anything strange. I think both Zopp & Wobbler are bands that have listened their favorites carefully and wanted to make same kind of music as they and nothing in a different way. I don´t think that is good way to make great music

This really isn´t a bad album and it maybe deserves 3 stars. But because this band hasn´t got any own personality, I just can´t give it more than 2 stars. To all young fellows who are interested in Canterbury Prog, I suggest that you listen to Caravan´s, Soft Machine´s, Gong´s etc. classic albums instead of this.