OCTARINE SKY

This US -based band has released a scintillating debut album that has elicited an eyebrow twisting response from the Prog community, an offshoot project of Potter's Daughter, an already successful group featuring the supremely talented keyboardist-vocalist Dyanne Potter Voegtlin and multi-instrumentalist Jan Christiana. The duo has added the legendary Simon Phillips on drums as well as powerhouse guitarist Guthrie Govan and the raw talent of fellow guitarist Amit Chatterjee (Joe Zawinul) to supply some explosive pyrotechnics, flavouring the heady mix of prog, rock, jazz, and tossing in some modern tinges as well as tried and true classicisms.

Beyond the attractive cover art lies a musical adventure that will surprise, seduce, and stimulate all prog fans, setting the tone with 'One', an interpretation of Alberto Ginastera's (famous for ELP's 'Toccata') marvelous 'Piano Sonata no.1', a showcase for a vivacious and complex display from Dyanne on piano and keyboards, propelled by the whirlwind drum machine that Simon Phillips can definitely claim to be. Bold and brash, with plenty of accelerations, swerves, twists, polyrhythmic shuffles and tempo changes, this intro sets the tone of absolute musical quality from the outset, leaving no further doubt that we are in for a ride. 'Rosewind' offers a clever change of pace, a serene plunge into paradise, with echoing electric piano motifs upon which Dyanne's alluring voice gets to interact with the overall atmosphere, adding just enough occasional bite from crescendos, exalted guitar tweaks, and solid drumbeats to keep it all muscling forward. Totally delightful and musically aromatic.

Cinematographic prog has always been an ideal showcase for mood and melody and 'Night Sky/Into the Dream' completely hits the mark with a riveting, pulsating arrangement, showcasing sublime vocals (the amazing Ann Wilson of Heart comes to mind), scintillating synth riffs and a rather splendid Guthrie Govan guitar rant that shivers, quivers, and thunders with impossible zeal. The aquatic onset of 'The Mask' seeks to set a jazzy ambiance, more of that piano being at the forefront, together with the lead microphone singing a sorrowful song, and a luscious acoustic guitar phrasing, a breezy romance, a riveting melody, and masterful instrumental performance that, half-way through injects a Phillips rumble, the Jan Christiana guitar riffs working up into a frenzy, as the unexpected bombast kicks in, ferociously adamant. A sizzling finale that offers the two contrasts once again. Well played, Octarine Sky. Energetic jazz-rock (emphasis on the second part) is next up on the lethal '5', where all the players torch the bonfire and detonate into the night sky, like a musical fireworks display, complete with sensational vocal noodlings and superlative drumming that seek to contrast well with the wildly exquisite and jaw-dropping Govan guitar rantings. Smoking!

Let's keep the blaze burning with the molten lava of 'Midnight', crunchy rifferama, bruising bass detonations and a smoldering axe run from Guthrie once again, cannonading drum patterns and a persistent 'Nevermore' chorus, the boldness and sheer comfort zone of this tornado track is astonishing. Monsters in my room. 'VII' reverts back to another Emersonian piano exercise, a complex, hysterically controlled, playfully cagey, and exceedingly proggy display that stamps Dyanne's artistic credentials with a massive golden buzzer (especially when she whips out a ridiculously fabulous synth solo) . Seems like both Jan and Guthrie enjoy the interplay as the provide some 6-string delirium, while Phillips proves once again what a world class drummer he has always been. Masterful, indeed.

The very grand finale 'Hold' serves to close the book on this phenomenal release, as it offers everything one would expect from such talented musicians, not a single note is redundant, boring, or out of place, as one can sense the sheer enjoyment in playing theses compositions. Guitarist Chatterjee expresses his inner Steve Howe yearnings in a piece that is overtly classic Yes in style as well as substance, including some Jon Anderson recorded choir vocals, Dyanne soaring majestically into the highest expanses of celestial music, as this is pure symphonic prog, and arguably one of the finest tracks Yes never recorded.

Everything is just perfectly natural yet precise, it is an uncanny tribute to the pioneers of our beloved progressive rock. An amazing piece of music and a stellar album that begs to be heard, admired, and distributed to all those who crave for compelling music in their lives.

5 near neighbours

OCTARINE SKY releases its first album with Simon Phillips on drums, Guthrie GOVAN and Amit CHATTERJEE on guitar. OCTARINE SKY is above all a melting pot of prog, jazz, art rock, new age and classical music for the very present piano of Dyanne Potter VOEGTLIN. It is also virtuosity in bars from the drifts of the POTTER'S DAUGHTER born in 2018. A recording of a great performance for its colorful music and virtuoso musicians to send you into a singular musical world. An innovative, intimate, vibrant and creative sound.

"One" starts on the 1st movement of Alberto GINASTERA's Piano Sonata No. 1. Playful air and piano-drums fight between Dyanne and Simon on a classy free-jazz bass. "Rosewind" follows, an ethereal atmosphere full of grace, a tune quickly supported and amplified by Jan's guitar; languorous air, aerial drums then fruity variation, orchestral with choirs reminiscent of the intimate 'Ederlezi' of KUSTURICA or the I AM THE MORNING. "Night Sky/Into the Dream" with its keyboard vibrations coming out of a soundtrack, the piano forward and Guthrie who comes to sow musical doubt bringing the title to a sound worthy of Al Di Meola or Santana; it squirts everywhere, it's fresh, fruity, from inventive pop to bewitching solo, musical tune apart. "The Mask" and its oriental beach surf, jazzy piano with characteristic brush drums; acoustic guitar accompanying the piano and Dyanne's voice; a progressive voice-over à la Floyd then drum roll and it changes tone, Jan's expressive guitar sets the title on fire. It's soft, crystalline, airy, the intimate folk voice leaves at the end on a more rock tone.

"5" changes style and releases a heavy limit title LED ZEPPELIN, within the fusion-jazz-dithyrambic framework; keyboards, sampled choirs, voices of sirens carrying on the rocks or the bewitched plains; strings from Guthrie's guitar show that he can use it in different styles and recall the madness of Jeff BECK; ethereal, hovering, synthetic atmosphere, the guitar twirls and sends the title on uncontrolled musical slopes. "Midnight" strident, gloomy, dark, hard-rock with that frenzied riff; Dyanne distills her soft and repetitive voice with an incisive 'Nevermore' while Guthrie puts sound and fire to the track by offering a strident variation following her on a majestic frenzied solo, one of the most beautiful on the album. "VII" and the return of the piano for what looks like an organized jam on the Julia SCHWARTZ suite; Simon responds pad by pad to crystal-clear piano notes; the subtle guitar parts give timely relief to this basic monolithic title; some notes of dripping fat synths give in controlled improvisation reminding me of the disjointed progressive incursions of the KING CRIMSON 'Red' period and more, tormented. "Hold" with a Yessian sound for Amit's voice and guitar, fresh, lively rhythm; good when we know that Jon ANDERSON himself gave his absolution on it, we are not surprised; aerial final title with high and fleeting keyboards which gives even more musical spleen on what creative music can be.

OCTARINE SKY sounds POTTER'S DAUGHTER but manages to create a new musical concept flirting with many genres, perhaps a little too factual. Fresh, inventive, progressive, jazzy-pop-folk and real world mix. An adventurous avant-garde sound that disrupts filing drawers; an album borderline zeuhl, chamber music, unstructured free-jazz, in the lands of an ART ZOYD giving music a new musical dimension; a unique album that brightens up the ears.

One of the benefits of being a fairly well-known writer is that I come across material I otherwise would not have found for myself, and a few years back I came across Potter's Daughter and immediately fell in love with their sound, which was based around the beautiful piano and vocals of Dyanne Potter Voegtlin, together with her son Jan Christiana who is an arranger, composer, bassist and guitarist. So, when I came across this album, I was somewhat intrigued as it is again Dyanne and Jan, but they have brought in famed drummer Simon Phillips (who also mixed the album which Jan produced), and have used two different guitarists, Guthrie Govan and Amit Chatterjee.

Dyanne has followed two musical careers over the years, one being that of a classical pianist and the other of a singer/songwriter. This album commences with a nod to the former as it is an arrangement of the first movement of the First Piano Sonata by Alberto Ginastera, with Simon and Jan accompanying her which provides more depth. If the name Ginastera seems familiar to progheads then look to your copy of 'Brain Salad Surgery', where you will find an adaptation of the 4th Movement ("Toccata concertata") of Ginastera's 1st Piano Concerto. For me this is a perfect introduction as we hear the three musicians blending and working in a classical form but bending it into prog. The album contains three instrumental and five vocal tracks which show how comfortable they are in either form. Dyanne has a wonderful voice and has even worked with Annie Haslam on a track for Potter's Daughter which demonstrates just what a fine singer she is. There are multi-tracked harmonies on "Rosewind", a song which is very different indeed from what came before.

This is an album which is beautifully arranged, with Simon providing more than "just" drums and Jan showing what a very fine fretless bassist he is, while the guitarists are utilised somewhat sparingly and therefore to great effect. There is a great deal of depth within this album, something magical, and each time I play it I find more to discover. It greatly benefits from being played on headphones when one really has the time to devote to it. Glorious and majestic, this is a delight.