AISLES

1. "The Poet Part I: Dusk" (10:06) a solid construct--complete with the band's now familiar impeccably-woven sophisticated multi-layered instrumental construction. I'm not so fond of the hard-drivin' straight-forward rock rhythm choices nor the multi-voice approach to lead vocals. (17.5/20)

2. "The Poet Part II: New World" (4:18) gorgeous melodies created by Sebastian Vergara over this surprisingly simple (but adequate) song construct. Great drumming. Not sure Daniel Baird-Kerr's bass playing style is the best fit for the band. Not the most polished or best engineered song the band has produced, but it's still a winner. (9/10)

3. "Year Zero" (4:36) nice dreamy two-guitar, two channel foundation with solid bass presence and background drumming over which Sebastian sings in a high pitch (and frail-sounding) voice. (Is he sick? Is his [heretofore amazing] voice failing?) Nice Berlin School-like synth patterns takes over in the third minute, at first supplanting the two guitars while Sebastian sits back on the sidelines, later re-introducing the two guitars for a bit before they yield to the piano that finishes the song. Interesting! (8.875/10)

4. "Upside Down" (4:53) piano with bass and delicate drumming open this before guitar strums and big tom-tom hits signal the entry of double-tracked lead vocals (both Sebastian, I believe) mirroring the piano. It's like a stage musical's central aria. It's okay, just not the Aisles we all (in the prog community) want to here Still, the topic expressed in the lyrics is quite heavy and, therefore, appropriately expressed with serious passion. Nice solos from the two guitarists and synth player in the fourth minute. (8.6667/10)

5. "CH-7" (12:33) oddly sparse and simple music behind a rather passionate vocal performance by Sebastian Vergara. Unfortunately, Seb's voice (which is surprisingly lacking any melodic "hooks" to gain our interest and enjoyment) is not enough to carry the song all by itself. (I swear: On this album it feels as if Sebastian's voice is failing--this despite his sincere passion behind many of the messages he's trying to convey.) But carry it he does: for over six minutes--and when the musicians begin to offer more to the soundscape it still feels thin (though it does, admittedly, take a noticeable amount of pressure off of Seb's performance). The musical construct beneath the song's instrumental passage in the ninth minute is rather laughable for its syncopation minimalism--despite everyone's participation. When everybody kind of congeals in the tenth we finally feel a bit of the inviting warmth that I've come to associate the band with. Finally! This section persists into the twelfth minute before taking a turn down a faster-paced downhill street. Unfortunately, the sound palette chosen throughout this song is one that never quite wins me over. Too bad! That instrumental finish was almost worth it. (21.875/25)

6. "Terra" (8:03) nice gently-picked acoustic guitar with fluid fretless bass and sustained volume-controlled pedal steel guitar chords open this one giving the listener quite a relaxing, almost lullaby-like setting. Sebastian's voice enters matching the angelic music with great delicacy, amazing vulnerability. Gorgeous. At the four-minute mark a "sonic boom"-like noise enters--as if signaling the event of some disaster. At 5:40 the vocalist (not Seb?) enters with an almost-operatic tenor, amping up the tension and drama of the song. He is soon joined by Sebastian and multiple other voices in harmonized choral form while the piano and strummed acoustic guitars keep time and the drums, bass, and odd synth noises create a very unsettling chaos--at first in the background, but then usurping the soundscape for the finish. A song of lament and regret? on behalf of the planet? Interesting and unique. This is the kind of creative song creation that keeps me coming back for Aisles music. (13.5/15)

7. "Pale Blue Dot" (9:53) tick-tocking percussion with layers of guitar and synth play over which Sebastian eventually joins--singing his long-held notes in a clear, frail, high register. The music that bridges to a new variation at the three- minute mark is a bit circus-like, while the next motif is more of a standard rock musical experience with Sebastian singing more in front of the mix (with his melodic flow feeling a bit forced and even, at times, incongruous with the musical landscape). Still, there is something not quite right with the musical coherence here: as if the Sebastian and the rest of the band are on two different, diverging paths of musical vision. In the final quarter of the song, there are even several instances in which Seb tries reaching for high power notes and fails to achieve pitch accuracy. (17/20)

8. "Still Alive" (4:46) an emotional radio-friendly song that does a great job at expressing the insecurities and unknowns of daily life in these frail "three-minutes-to-midnight" era of human existence. (9/10)

9. "Nostalgia" (2:11) Perfectly understandable considering the flow and concept behind this album. We all want to feel the security of nostalgic escapes to past memories or past art forms. This song conveys this rather effectively while still expressing the underlying tension (pace) rushing us through a process of escapism. (4.66667/5)

10. "Club Hawaii" (7:22) a very interesting, entertaining, and effective theatric musical play. Quite brilliant--and emotional! (14.5/15)

11. "Falling" (2:11) solo piano over which Sebastian sings in a very high, delicate, almost feminine operatic way. With progress into the song, Seb's vocal definitely expresses more masculinity--though of a very vulnerable emotionality. (4.5/5)

12. "In The Probe" (6:53) interesting and, yes, a bit depressing with a single destabilized guitar occasionally strumming some disharmonic chords and a very sparsely-employed drum machine rhythm track serving as the only two instruments, but, again, it is very effective considering the psychological and emotional goals of the band on this album. I'm very much reminded of the stark soundscapes of TALK TALK's TIM HOLLIS as well as the delicate vocal abilities of Marillion's Steve Hogarth. Very effective. Thank you, Sebastián. You have served commendably. (13.33333/15)

Total time: 77:45

Despite the space of three years since the band's last album, a lot of the music on this album feels forced--as if the idealistic fire that was present in 2009 (on In Sudden Walks) is flickering. However, knowing the cynical space the band was in during its making--about their native Chile, about the planet, about the future of Sebastián's participation with the band--I can better understand (and forgive--as well as learn to grow with) the often sparse, stripped-down soundscapes employed in their musical expressions here.

B+/four stars; an admirable and quite emotional ride through a band's cynicism and decay. A listening experience that requires attention but then, after several listens, can be truly and fully enjoyed for the artistic expression it is. Highly recommended to any prog lover.

1. "4:45am" (4:06) like a late 1970s AOR song from ART IN AMERICA or RUSH. I have to admit to being a little surprised at the directional choice exhibited by this song--obviously chosen to represent the band's new vision/sound in its being the album's opener. The extraordinary musicianship and dedication to complex minutia is, of course, still obvious, but this is definitely more of a pop-oriented song. (8.75/10)

2. "Gallarda Yarura" (4:32) a long guitar-centric instrumental that could very well have supported vocals makes me wonder if lyricists were either preoccupied with other parts of life or whether Sebastian Vergara was not as heart-fully engaged in the project. (8.666667/10)

3. "Shallow and Daft" (4:52) there's quite a bit of 1980s jazz-pop in this one--sounding a lot like HOWARD JONES, ICEHOUSE, and/or JOHNNY HATES JAZZ. Interesting choices for radio samples they included in the final minute. Melodically quite pleasing but technically and instrumentally quite a step down from the complexity of their past stuff. (8.5/10)

4. "Back my Strength" (4:54) 1980s BRIAN FERRY! Such a simple four-chord song that I feel quite disappointed. Even the beautiful little delicate passage in the middle is diminished by the standard radio fare that it is sandwiched between (though I do like the homage to WHITESNAKE in the instrumental guitar solo). (8.5/10)

5. "The Sacrifice" (5:08) lone acoustic guitar being gently picked shows promise--raises my hopes. Sebastian's delicate vocal (later harmonized) matches perfectly. Gorgeous. But, it never really develops into anything more than this (which leaves it locked out of the prog world, relegated to pop-stage craft). Even the buildup and crescendo in the fifth minute is not enough--more emotion than compositional genius. (8.75/10)

6. "The Ship" (0:57) ship noises--more engine and industrial gear than water.

7. "Intermission" (5:02) the opening weave here seems to suggest that "Side 2" might be more proggy.I love this! The long sustained notes up front make me think that there might be an electric violin involved. Something we might have heard from BRUCE COCKBURN when he had HUGH MARSH working with him. I even love the more percussion- oriented reprise at the end. Great instrumental! My favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

8. "Sorrow" (6:57) acoustic guitars being picked with more traditional percussion sounds (like talking drum!) and Sebastian and harmony vocals worked into a nice gentle weave. I love the deep throb of the bass play. The interplay of the two or three guitarists alone is magical! I don't really like the way Sebastian's voice is compressed and held in the back. And why is the beautiful female vocalist's name (Constanza Maulén) uncredited? My other top three song. (13.375/15)

9. "Hero" (8:11) a slow methodical progression of blues-rock guitar arppegi (using a soundscape quite similar to that of THE GATHERING on the twin towers of "Analog Park" and "Herbal Movement") with support drums and bass and frenzied synth noises flitting in and out turns into a more familiar Aisles style at the 90-second mark with some cool time and thematic twists and turns accented by guitar, synth, percussion, and vocalise flourishes here and there and ended by an almost Gregorian chant bridge at the four-minute mark that takes us into a very ENIGMA-feeling cave/cathedral place for a minute or so. Drums and distant power chords and aggressive but distant guitar play join in during the sixth minute as DAVID GILMOUR/BRIAN MAY-like strummed chords and RICHARD WRIGHT-like synth solos a bit. At the seven-minute mark the joinder and presence of the string quartet becomes quite noticeable. The final minute sees the song resort to beautiful classical guitar being picked over the remnants of the string quartet. Nice ending to a surprisingly long instrumental. hard to believe that these formidable vocalists did not create anything magical to complete the fully-dimensional realization of this one! Still, I call this a win--and it definitely pleases one's prog sensibilities! My second favorite song on the album. (18/20)

10. "Melancholia" (10:41) a little slow in its distorted blues-rock orientation, the full and theatric story and lyrics get a bit lost in the one-dimensional three-chord music that plays pretty much from start to finish. I like the way the instrumental portion of the music recedes over the final 90 seconds while the vocals lag behind, staying forward. (17.333333/20)

Total time (55:19)

Were it not for "Side 2" (the last four songs) this album would not be worth any prog lover's while.

B-/3.5 stars; a bit of a disappointment; as if the band was torn as to which stylistic direction(s) to go and was also kind of forcing an album out while lacking inspired, fully-committed contributions from the full complement of collaborators.

1. "The Wharf That Holds His Vessel" (11:21) a song that feels to me, start to finish, as if I'm listening to a band playing in the orchestra pit for a theatric stage musical; this would/could quite easily pass for an overture! (17.5/20)

2. "Uncertain Lights" (4:05) a very nice opening with very delicate vocal track sung over beautifully picked classical guitars and synth three-way weave. The harmony vocals here are also quite sublime. These musicians are so talented! So skilled! The only song on the album that really puts on display the amazing vocal arrangements so well-developed and exploited in their future songs. Quite mature SIMON & GARFUNKEL-like songwriting. (8.875/10)

3. "Clouds Motion" (7:07) here's the first song that conjures up for me more references to "classic rock" bands like JOURNEY or RUSH. It's also the first song to drop a few of those melt-my-knees gorgeous riffs, chord changes, bridges that the band becomes so adept at with their future albums. A top three song. (13.5/15)

4. "The Rise of White Sun" (4:57) A 1990s sound palette (or one quite like 1978's BABYLON) doesn't totally spoil another heart-felt vocal from Sebastian Vergara. It's comforting to comprehend how much more fluent Seb becomes with the English language (especially it's pronunciation) as well as with creating highly melodic vocals and vocal arrangements in the future. (8.75/10)

5. "The Shrill Voice" (4:59) portends some of the band's extraordinary future music with the unusual quick-mixture of multiple motifs in short spaces of time--and then repeating them throughout the song from time to time. Not Seb's best vocal, the street voice is interesting, but it's the driving motif that follows 1:50 that is, for me, my first real glimmer of the genius of this band: an extended heavy PINK FLOYD-like instrumental passage that sucks one in and entertains with the numerous surprise instrumental and vocal flourishes and nuances. Despite the many out-of-date instrument sounds chosen, this one serves, as another top three song. (8.75/10)

6. "The Scarce Light Birth" (7:34) a near-GENESIS-like ballad format in which we see the capture of some of Sebastian's most seductive vocal melodies yet. My third favorite song. (13.125/15)

7. "Grey" (16:37) almost completely flat and unexciting. (25/30): - i. The Yearning - ii. Unit Land - iii. Path of Gleams

Total Time 56:40

Hearing these songs makes me wonder how much time these musicians spent together (or separately) as theater musicians, as cover band for "classic rock" music like Journey, and how long they worked on these songs. They certainly have a tremendous amount of courage and "maturity" in order to take on these fast-changing, multi-themed, unusually-complex and multi-dimensional songs. The chapter-like/epic storytelling flow of each and every song is quite extraordinary. Unfortunately, the band has not yet mastered its capture of great "earworm" melodies in the way it will in their next albums. Also, the "dated" computer keyboards and poor effects chosen for the drums do affect my enjoyment of the music. Again, I apologize to the band for not getting the songs whose commitment to the words/lyrics/message is paramount: it's your music that I've grown to love; I know not your intended messages!

B/four stars; an excellent debut album from this totally unique theatric symphonic band.

This album is actually a collection of individual songs that the band worked on and released as singles, one by one, over the time span of early 2021 through February of 2023.

1. "Fast" (4:38) love the "fade in" fast-strum two chord progression that the song opens with but the mix remains too muted and distant for my likes. When keys and vocals join the rhythm section, it's with a MOTORPSYCHO-like sound and feel. Very cool! (I love Motorpsycho.) Despite its flaws (sound engineering) this is a great, catchy song with lots of impressive (and loveable) subtle nuances (keyboard, bass, and drum flourishes). Great drumming from Felipe Candia. (8.875/10)

2. "Megalomania" (6:25) styled very much like a KARNIVOOL or LEPROUS song (the main melody is practically lifted from the Aussie band's "We Are"--one of my favorite songs of the 2010s), the instrumental palette/soundscape is far too weak and thin to pull it off (as is the voice of lead vocalist Israel Gil), and yet the imitation (borrowing) of the afore- cited Heavy Proggers continues. Still, I do enjoy the slap and percussion styles used on the guitars and bass as well as the drum exhibition around the six-minute mark. (8.75/10)

3. "Thanks to Kafka" (4:18) Pleasant but not very memorable (other than the lyrical line of literary homage). At this point in the album my jury is still out on Israel; here he's impassioned but the vocal isn't mixed well into the mix of the song (it's buried too much in the mix--behind the bass and lead guitar). I do, however, appreciate the lyrical intent. (8.6667/10)

4. "Disobedience" (7:18) I love the set up and rhythmic foundation of this one: fast-moving drums with thoughtful phrasing from the bass and keys with great vocal deliveries. Reminds me of early PAATOS. And the reach for heaviness really works on this one. I love the FIXX-like chords used for the awesome chorus motif. Great tune! Definitely a top three song. (14.25/15)

5. "Time (A Conversation with My Therapist)" (6:40) quite a melodically captivating song. Once in, you're stuck--but it's such a nice, soul-balming place. I think I could stay here forever. (Aisles has always the ability to do that to the listener with their music.) A top three song for me. (9.5/10)

6. "The Plague" (11:06) opening with those delicate, virtuosic guitar notes is so magical--so much of what I think of when I recall Aisles. (Which makes me think that this song may have been carried forward from a long time ago.) I love the atmospheric soundscape established to back Israel's MARCO GLÜHMANN (Sylvan) vocal delivery. As a matter of fact, the whole song to this point has a LOT in common with the music of SYLVAN. The chorus starts out a little blandly but then Israel and Germán (and others) come forward to win the day. Great drumming, keys, and thrumming bass beneath the lead guitar solo in the fith minute. Then begins the echoed guitar chord play that feels signatory to this band. Very powerful use of choral voices in the sixth and ninth minutes (reminding me of MOTORPSYCHO). Interesting play on the great BLADE RUNNER death speech of Nexus 6 replicant Roy Batty in honor of the COVID pandemic. Great, emotional song. Almost a top three song. (18.5/20)

7. "Surrender" (6:44) a beautiful piano intro is soon joined by the rest of the band with such mature subtlety. What a gift is this band! Israel enters with an equally delicate vocal, but then everybody amps up for the brief chorus preview (with some awesome lead guitar riffing). Man the bass sounds so great on this album: I love how forward and full those notes are coming from Daniel Concha. Just a beautifully constructed, performed, and engineered song. My only complaint is that the drums aren't as forward as the bass. (Felipe is also such a master of subtlety in his drum play.) The instrumental passage in the fifth minute is good, just not as blow-me-away good as the rest of the song (though the drums come through a little better). The vocal delivery sounds so heartfelt--even from German on background vocals! My favorite top three song. (9.75/10)

8. "Needsun" (2:09) fades in as if coming from a previously recorded song--a sentimental salvage job by the band. (It's gorgeous--with great drumming and powerful vocals--so I can see why.) (4.5/5)

9. "Game Over" (6:28) melodic yet using an industrial sound palette to get its syncopated CRIMSONIAN ideas across, this was one of the band's last single releases before completing and compiling this album. It's interesting--and very much like the condensed style of Jem Godfrey's FROST* releases of the past decade--with some great electric guitar playing (also in a John Mitchell style)--but I find myself missing/wanting Israel/the band's vocals! Fortuneately, the song just keeps getting stronger as it goes along--until it wins you over! Impressive! (9/10)

Total Time 55:46

I must admit to being prejudiced against the possibility of liking this album as I have such love and admiration for the music (and lineup) of the band's 2009 incarnation and album, In Sudden Walks, but I'm won over. This music is great. It's different, but 14 years later you'd kind of hope that a band would grow and develop--not repeat the same sounds and songs over and over. Aisles have accomplished this in spades. I'm so glad the band persevered during the COVID years (and years of political and internal turmoil in Chile and within the band, respectively) to polish, perfect, and publish these songs!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. Aisles continues their stellar contribution to 21st Century progressive rock music. Definitely a Top 10 Album of 2023 (so far).

For sure a significant change concerning the line up, singer Israel Gil substituted Sebastian Vergara some years ago. The new voice is not a simple copy-cat thing, but similarly embedded into the overall sound anyhow. On the other hand, I would say the way of expressing is significantly differing. Towards a more extroverted style, while considering some new videos presented since the joining. Furthermore fabulous implementation regarding all instruments. Technically seen there's nothing to be desired. The initiating track Fast certainly turns out to be a powerful highspeed entry. And then Thanks To Kafka convinces with extraordinary drumming.

The variable and touching Time basically comes as a ballad, but breaks out of its role at times. Concerning the song writing as such the extended The Plague seems to have been their biggest challenge. The punchy instrumental Game Over finalizes the album with typical band flavour. Hopefully the song title does not implement an inevitable statement, an insurmountable hurdle. Some rumours are coming up about another major line up change. There's enough potential available to survive anyhow, to hold up the top AISLES level, evidently demonstrated with the recent two albums.

"Fast" contemporary modern style with a jerky hit, ah a little RUSH already so it changes from their quieter sound before; it's fresher, energetic rock-pop ... faster in short it moves in the right direction for a good prog metal. "Megalomania" not the MUSE title though; it rocks from the intro; after it is soft melody accompanied by melancholy keyboards and guitars, the drums keeping the hit; today's prog as I understand it now, prog synth- rock fusion against a background of new wave, prog metal and alternative rock imprinting a progressive musical climate in less than 5 minutes; it's longer and perfectly brought with a twirling bass synth and the drums which let off steam in the end. "Thanks to Kafka" in mid-tempo for the fruity, ambient, plaintive and contemplative prog track; lots of voices that imprint themselves in the notes like a musical monologue; on PURE REASON REVOLUTION, a current RUSH, a MISSION, a RIVERSIDE, an ENCHANT for bewitchment and a final modern jewel. "Disobedience" returns to a current sound, yes the djent of the ANIMALS AS LEADERS ranges; aquatic, dark verse, syncopated drums, like an electric jazzy; prog metal chorus with a melodic, astonishing and diversified blow with a final climb where the soft djent sound is becoming more and more evident. "Time (A Conversation with My Therapist)" begins airy, hovering melody, all that to get out of the pangs of everything, of oneself, of society, of the pandemic; I find the discordance of the HAKEN therefore of the GENTLE GIANT; when melancholy becomes a cathartic overture, a musical outlet; the crimsonian break fills the air, gives air to go even further, the crystalline jazz-rock side drives the point home, a title that deserves to be asked twice, the solo is divine, the end luxuriously melancholy.

"The Plague" centerpiece where the sound is jazzy at times, on the tortured guitar of SAGA, on that of ANIMALS AS LEADERS, on the ancestor RUSH for this declination from another age; replenished with synths and a cinematic atmosphere, the text unfolds on the pandemic plague, a playful crescendo that gives pride of place to the melody, a progressive softness that rises towards prog metal in a sinuous and subtle way, in a very beautiful way, piece which reveals its charm as you listen; the spoken finale against a backdrop of a police siren amplifying the current madness of the world and the djent riff which rises, rises, saturates space and thought, superb. "Surrender" lands on a jazzy mid-tempo flirting plaintive musical ballad; consensual title at first glance which brews a languorous atmosphere thanks to the dreamlike voice of Israel; Juan's synth solo vibrating, full of emotion, final climb introducing "Needsun" mashup perfect musical interlude, slow but sure narcissistic progression. "Game Over" almost linked instrumentally closes this telluric journey with a complex and tortured melody; a fruity and heavy soft djent from ANIMALS AS LEADERS, supercharged South American hints à la AL DI MEOLA, other futurists with video games; games in which certain members of the group were immersed in most of the time between compositions; a theme with contained polyrhythm which shows another face of the group where the intensity is at its maximum, sublime.

AISLES releases a musical bomb; it's beautiful, it's fresh, varied, airy and modern enough to easily escape on it. Their 5th album stands out from their original sound by pouring on experimental, fusion and 2 and a half years of work; behind this drama of the group's explosion is born this staggering opus where perhaps their heavier, more merging, more avant-garde musical future lies; musical, enterprising and efficient, apart. Definitely top potential.

"Hawaii" strikes me as a solid album through and through, and one that have been assembled with a lot of care. If not a brilliantly shining diamond then at least a gold nugget. A production well worth seeking out if melodic, accessible progressive rock is to your general liking, and in particular if a double length science fiction based concept album is explored within this specific context.

A nice album!

I had the luck to see Aisles on stage in their recent visit to Mexico City and I must say they really know how to prog! They are as good on stage as in their studio albums, which let us realize their capabilities. This band from Chile is now promoting their 'Hawaii' album, a release from 2016 which is a great 2-cd concept album that shows the development of the band to a new sound, I mean, their regular neo-prog sound can be found here but maximized to its best expression, and also with some spacey, melancholic nuances and jazzy touches that make this a great release.

In the first CD we will find five songs. It opens with 'The Poet, Pt. I: Dusk', a challenging 10-minute epic wisely chosen to start the album. Its first minute is a nice jazzy introduction that leads to a calm atmospheric sound. Little by little the instruments add their prints, and then vocals appear at 2:30 and the concept is about to begin. The song explodes at minute 4 where the sound becomes a bit chaotic, and then it slows down and changes once and again, with a great instrumental passage that shows that neo-prog sound, mainly due to guitar and keys. And then, it fades out so we suddenly are now listening to 'The Poet, Pt- II: New World', which is a calm piece, laid-back and with a melancholic feeling. If you push me a bit, I find this part much weaker than the first one, to be honest, in spite of its pretty good final part that adds a Camel-esque sound.

A storm or maybe an earthquake appear in 'Year Zero', the music is soft and calm, but then an electronic rhythm starts so the atmosphere becomes spacey and futuristic, the mood is a bit tense, it easily puts some images in my mind. It leads to 'Upside Down', a melancholic tune due to the piano sound. The vocals are sweet but disarming, main and backing vocals, by the way. Later a nice guitar solo appears while electronics work as background, now the atmosphere is a bit darker and the song more intense and interesting. The first CD finishes with the amazing 'CH-7', which happens to be the longest composition off the album. I'll be honest, the first time I listened to it, I seem to feel bored, but later the love for this track grew up on me when I could find its beauty, but maybe one has to be patient and listen to it with good headphones, maybe one's mood also helps here. It might be a slow piece, but it has brought several feelings to me, from despair to hope, and when a song does that it means it has reached not only my ears but also hit something inside myself.

The second CD starts with 'Terra', a nice peaceful track where acoustic guitar and the sweet voice guide us to a new journey. While the minutes pass, new elements are being added, but in the end the tranquility reigns here. 'Pale Blue Dot' is a very nice track, it has a modern sound, like prog and alternative so it might be easy to dig and enjoy so its 10 minutes run fast. 'Still Alive' has a Marillion-like feeling with its calm and melancholic sound. Then a short but addictive track appears with 'Nostalgia', it is the shortest one, but man, it is beautiful, I love it. Then the great 'Club Hawaii' appears, a ten-minute epic that shows Aisles' sound at its best. Great musicianship can be appreciated here, amazing changes in time and tempo, wonderful drums and a first class technical shuffle, here also the singer does an extraordinary performance. The strings are great; this must be one of the best tracks off the album.

The last part of the album comes with 'Falling', a short and tender piano-based track that leads to 'In The Probe' which has the same melancholic sound and a Marillion-esque feeling with the vocals. The prog rock label is not here anymore, but that doesn't matter. In the end, Aisles has offered a very good album that has led them to international success, and now I am eagerly waiting to see them live next Progtoberfest in Chicago.

Enjoy it!

In their debut album The Yearning (2005) the band was pretty much shooting its bullets to every side, that album was lacking unity. In Sudden Walks (2009) they corrected that, finding their way. On their third effort 4:45 AM (2013) they left their Neo Prog influence behind and a new sound emerged. So, what about their new effort?

Hawaii (2016) is a double concept album inspired on a post apocalyptic world where human colonies were established in space after the destruction of Earth. But before the extinction of the planet Earth a project was initiated to make sure human race would survive. And this my friends is where Hawaii (2016) takes us in its almost 82 minutes: a sci-fi Prog adventure.

It is important to follow the lyrics and it's a delight to do that because the Digipak in which Hawaii (2016) is encased is just beautiful! Also, vocals are a very important part in Aisles' music so that's one more reason to follow the lyrics with attention.

Musically speaking, Aisles has grown a bit more since their last album 4:45 AM (2013) (the first with their new lineup) and although you can find many great and interesting instrumental passages (like in the opening duo 'The Poet', 'Upside Down') the melody is what strikes you. Hawaii (2016) is all about melody and the moods one can create with it. Sebastián Vergara pulls double duty in many moments where he lays different vocal tracks to create melodies.

Like with many of its contemporaries, Aisles bet on the electronic side of the Modern Prog in some moments (like 'Year Zero', 'Upside Down' or 'CH-7'), but always focusing on melody. But my favorite tracks on the album, however, have to be 'Terra' with its acoustic and melancholic mood and 'Pale Blue Dot' with its melodic Prog feeling (in a way, the 'old' Aisles sound). 'Still Alive' has that same 'old Aisles' feeling and it's a very good track. 'Club Hawaii' has a voice intro that could have been used more throughout the album and it's one of the few that really sounds like a Neo Prog song.

All in all Hawaii (2016) is a very solid effort from this talented Chilean band. And it was deserved that they just got back from an European tour, one of the few South American Prog bands to be able to do that. Of course it may be a daunting task to sit through all of the 82 minutes in one sitting and if your favorite kind of Prog is not the melodic you may find yourself asking 'why?', but if that's your sound you're going to find many moments for your ears pleasure.

I believe that if you're fan of bands like A.C.T (for its melody) or Ayreon (for its concept) you should definitely give this album a spin, I would do that if I haven't already.

3.5 stars