LAZULI

One of France's best proggers of the 21st Century are back with their tenth studio album release. (Unlike the band, I do not count boxset / greatest hits albums.)

1. "Sillonner des océans de vinyles" (5:03) surprisingly poppy; unsurprisingly quite French--even ANGE-like. (8.75/10)

2. "Triste carnaval" (5:03) Wow! Sounds so much like a Bruce Swoord/THE PINEAPPLE THIEF song--only with French lyrics. (8.6667/10)

3. "Qui d'autre que l'autre" (4:36) a nice prog song with a heavier PORCUPINE TREE/NEMO feel and sound to it. (8.875/10)

4. "Égoïne" (5:22) strumming acoustic guitars open this one, leading us down a kind of 1970s folk rock à la HARMONIUM, AL STEWART, SUPERTRAMP, or ROD STEWART. (8.75/10)

5. "La lagune grise" (5:21) Swamp rock! Tom PETTY and The EAGLES. Awesome harp-like lull before the bombastic guitar solo in the instrumental section. (8.75/10)

6. "Parlons du temps" (5:05) A really pretty, heart-wrenching song. Kind of like an ANATHEMA song in many ways. A top three song for me. (9.25/10)

7. "Le pleureur sous la pluie" (5:04) could almost be a Soul/R&B song from Detroit in the early 1970s. Another surprisingly beautiful and emotional song. Claude Leonetti's Léode works incredibly well in this context! Great repeating chorus throughout the powerful instrumental passage. Another top three song. (9.25/10)

8. "Les mots désuets" (3:09) definitely sounds like a Serge Fiori (HARMONIUM) song with its solo folk acoustic guitar and single singing voice. (8.5/10)

9. "La bétaillère" (4:05) a much heavier song rooted in more American swamp/Southern rock chords/sounds. (8.33333/10)

10. "Mille rêves hors de leur cage" (6:20) sung in a theatric conspiratorial tone, this one could've easily come from a stage musical. I like the jazzy instrumentation chosen--as well as the rollicking finish. (8.66667/10)

11. "Le grand vide" (5:11) solo piano and delicate voice sung as if right into your ear opens this one. At 0:35 bass and xylophone join in bringing a little more intensity and drama to the song. My final top three song. (9/10)

Total Time 54:19

This album presents much more of a hodge-podge of pop-oriented songs collected as if tributes to old masters and styles than I was expecting. Surprisingly, I like all of it: vocalist Dominique Leonetti hits it out of the park on all counts!

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--though perhaps not as proggy as one might expect, this is just a great collection of nostalgic music.

French eclectic prog masters are back with their ninth studio album release since 1998--and this one's a concept album with a very theatric presentation than some of their previous stuff.

1. "Prologue: Sol" (4:29) sounds like an anthemic cross between COLDPLAY and THE BEATLES. (8.75/10)

2. "Acte I: Les chansons sont des bouteilles à la mer" (6:12) quite solid, if simple, song construction with instrumental performances all focused on the whole--on supporting Dominque Leonetti's lead vocal--until 3:50 when a wild 1970s- style slide electric guitar solo starts--and plays out ? until the end! I like the melodies and love the choral vocal sections, but that guitar solo! (Perhaps it's probably Claude Leonetti on the Léode.) Wow! (9/10)

3. "Acte I: Mers lacrymales" (5:04) another bombastic, almost anthemic song that peaks with another extraordinary, if shorter, electric slide guitar solo at the beginning of the instrumental passage at the song's end. (8.875/10)

4. "Acte II: Dieter Böhm" (5:32) more anthemic music (this kind of bombast reminds me of peak TEARS FOR FEARS as well as THE BEATLES). Great work from the rhythm section on this one. The instrumental end section sounds very much like the jam at the end of Peter Gabriel's iconic concert ending song, "In Your Eyes." (9/10)

5. "Acte II: Baume" (3:32) a very different change in direction: delicate upper register vocal with only spacey piano accompaniment--at least until the breakout chorus: there Dominique lets loose with some screaming "Ahh"s while more Peter Gabriel-like pseudo-orchestral instruments gently support. Quite lovely. (9/10)

6. "Acte III: Un visage lunaire" (4:15) yet another somewhat anthemic song that sounds very much as if it came from the Sgt. Pepper's/Magical Mystery Tour period of the The Beatles music production. More electric slide guitar in the end passage's instrumental section--not quite as good as those first two solos. (8.875/10)

7. "Acte IV: L'envol" (2:25) a little modern synth work in this poppy little instrumental interlude ditty. (Filler). (4.25/5)

8. "Acte IV: L'homme volant" (5:36) more modern synth use in the drum programming and treatments of the principle string instruments (not the bass). When Dominique enters his voice gives the song a SIMPLE MINDS or even SYLVAN feel. I love the music here. (8.875/10)

9. "Epilogue: Dans les mains de Dieter" (5:38) opens with some distant radio playing the previous song's melodious vocal. Then organ and Theremin-like sound enter. It's not until 1:10 that anything "solid" enters: Dominique's voice. Spacious piano chords support Dominique's plaintive voice before backing off for weird psychedelia section. At 2:30 the full band finally begins to kick into the song, delivering support for the recapitulation of the dominant melody theme (from the last song) with some synths and fiery background lead guitar play. Bombastic and theatric but something feels to me as if the story--the "play"--is only just getting off the ground--as if it is unfinished--should keep going another half hour or so. (8.875/10)

Total Time 42:44

I've liked several of Lazuli's previous releases with 2006's En avant doute ? being my favorite , one thing I really like about this album is that the clarity of the track renderings (along with Dominique Leonetti's distinct pronunciation of his native French) allow me to hear and comprehend the words to the songs--something that is usually difficult for me.

B+/4.5 stars; an outstanding album with a great flow of very theatric themes with many surprising elements (including continuity and flow) making for a wonderful listening experience for any prog lover. Definitely a near-masterpiece. (I'm actually not sure what they could have done to make it better--perhaps a little more flair from multiple instruments or more twists and turns within the individual songs.)

'Onze'('11') is the 10th studio album (and 11th if counting 'Denude', a group of acoustic renditions of songs from the previous albums) by a French prog rock ensemble Lazuli. Symbolically, the record consists of eleven compositions, all written by the singer-guitarist Dominique Leonetti. His brother, Claude, has done all the mixing, mastering and arranging work on the album. 'Onze' is the first album with new lead guitarist Arnaud Beyney. Also, like the artwork and cover design.

Some info from theprogressiveaspect.net on the circumstances in which the album was created: ' In the foreword to the new album, frontman/singer/composer Dominique 'Domi' Leonetti gives an extremely poetic and emotional account of the past period. A period dominated by the pandemic and, although horrific in nature and scope, but in which it also seemed that a new era had begun; one of peace, love and recovery for people, animals and nature, with even a glimmer of hope that this would lead to rethinking and, who knows, even a better world. But that hope is soon shattered, we are fully back in the rat race that determined our lives before the pandemic. '

1. Sillonner des océans de vinyles (5:03) is very acoustic to start, slow tempo and quiet. The sound is moving in ocean waves manner. Marimba is a nice touch, it adds to the atmosphere, creating that dreamy/mysterious feel. After a couple of verses, near the 3 minute mark, a good leode solo, very atmospheric. The melody fades till the end of the song. A pleasant start to an album (9,25/10) .

2. Triste carnaval (5:03) Simple but effective intro, continuing with the dreamy feel. Like the vocals here, very gentle. Intricate passages in the first verse are changed by the rocking ones in the chorus and next verse. Some nice variations on the core melody. At 4 minutes we get the spacey leode solo supported by guitars, which soon returns to the main theme for an ending. The most accessible song on the album? (9,5/10)

3. Qui d'autre que l'autre (4:36) is very dark to start. Like the guitar and leode passages that come and go around the keyboard root notes. A pause of silence before new melody is presented after the second verse followed by leode and guitar solos. I quite like the flow of this track (9/10) .

4. Égoïne (5:22) is way brighter than all of the preceding songs. Acoustic guitar intro accompanied with french horn playing (with some effects?) by Romain. The guitar and leode melodies into the chorus are loud and intense. The chord build up near the 3rd minute is an interesting decision. A good song, one of the best here actually (9/10) .

5. Lagune grise (5:21) is just acoustic guitar and vocals to start. It is a nice melody. Lead guitar and bass join later. The feel is melancholic, slow tempo. For a moment everything gets quieter to just vocals and acoustic guitar but eventually grows into a fine leode solo, which is a definite highlight of the song, in my opinion. The song is nice but pales in comparison to previous four (7,5/10) .

6. Parlons du temps (5:05) melancholic keyboard and drum intro. The bass also has its moments here. The chorus melody is not very different from the verse one, it is in the same tempo and has the same melancholic vibe, so I do not think that was a good decision, The song is fine, it just does not stand out for me, at least in this running order (7/10) .

7. Le pleureur sous la pluie (5:04) keyboard intro followed by delicate vocals and bass accompaniment. Some playful guiar lines in the verse melody. Chorus melody is full of melancholic leode passages. I dig the vocal build up and a brief pause before the fuller sound. The second verse contains more leode notes with that playful guitar. Another vocal build up which soon gives ground for a brilliantly melodic guitar solo. Love the soundscape here too, drums come to the fore, picking up the tempo in the end. One of the best songs on the album and my personal favourite (10/10) .

8. Les mots désuets (3:09) is just fragile vocals and acoustic guitar, which create simple but quite beautiful melody. It has that French chanson quality to it. It is a nice little song (7,5/10) .

9. La bétaillère (4:05) is different, starts with French horn sounds followed by heavy orchestration, almost brutal really. Guitars, bass and leode with horn and heavy drumming make a huge sounding, thunder-like melody. A quieter moment before 3rd minute with mild passages, brief pause of silence... then we get the craziest sounding leode solo, which ends the song. To my mind, this is the most rock sounding track on the record (8/10).

10. Mille rêves hors de leur cage (6:20) is a ballad with a pleasant melody to it. Piano and drums take the lead in establishing the ground for beautiful vocal performance by Dominique. The melody is moving slowly but firmly. The 'airy' leode, nice bass and Barnavol's brushes are effective in development of the main theme. Around 4:30 mark we get a nice melodic change on the keyboards, then return to the main theme for a fading conclusion. A feel good song, maybe a bit long, but I don't care that much (8,75/10) .

11. Le grand vide (5:11) a quiet and tender piano composition with vocals and marimba joining in. The overall mood is predominantly sad. It slowly fades away, in repetition. Very atmospheric. The song is calm but still impressive. A moody end to a moody album (8/10) .

'Onze' is a collection of songs soaked with atmospheric, moody, melodic music with poetic lyrics which reflect the period of COVID-19 pandemic. What I like the most about this record is its variety - the different moods, melodies, tempo, which always move and eventually evolve into other ones. I have to admit that 'Onze' is less rocky than 'Le fantastique envol de Dieter Böhm' and perhaps has a lesser amount of surprising lead guitar melodies. However, the vocal performances and production might be better on '11'.

This record was not as easy to get into as the previous one, may need several listens, but once it clicks with you - it won't let go!

'Le fantastique envol de Dieter Böhm' (The fantastic flight of Dieter Böhm) is the 9th studio album by Lazuli from France. If I had to describe this work in just one word it would be 'refreshing'.

Everything on this record seems flawless. The vocals by Dominique are mesmerizing, the musicianship is nothing short of amazing, very emotive. The track by track analysis would take A LOT of time, especially considering how many truly beautiful moments and intertwined melodies are here. My personal favourites are 'Acte IV: L'homme volant' (fabulous feel, killer passages), 'Epilogue: Dans les mains de Dieter' (love that spacey intro and the melodic flow), 'Acte I: Les chansons sont des bouteilles à la mer' (outstanding leode solo), however each song here is very enjoyable. I am 90 % positive that you can find something new with each listening. Retrospectively I think that production could have been done better but it is just a nitpick.

This came out in 2020 and here I am 3 years later totally fascinated by this masterpiece. Definitely a top 5 album in that year. Highly recommended.

LAZULI French group, one of the most recognized? abroad; stallion group with the particularity of Claude's Léode. Formed in 1998, they explode on stage with a new, fresh sound, on world music and captivating crescendic titles. Followed since 2007, adoring their lyrics and this half-guitar, half-synth, half-demon electric Léode. Rock, folk; pop, on ANGE, on Peter GABRIEL for deep, moving and vibrant sounds; on SIMPLE MINDS (be careful, I'm not saying it's new wave either) for the symphonic flights; world music where the instrumental parts tirelessly lead back to prog. A 10th album, 11th in all including their 'Denuded' made of unplugged covers. Few chronicles I feel the trap.

"Cross oceans of vinyl" with a warm text on listening to 33 rpm, you know the record that cracked, listen to you will have the cracks. Intoxicating sweet melody where Dominique abuses her bewitching voice; the solo amplifies this moment, good as a start, end too soft. "Sad carnival" Dominique at the helm who recites his text, which is likely to stay in your head quickly; a nursery rhyme stirring memories where the orchestration is set back, too bad; ridiculous when you realize that the Léode moment is more hovering than in the other albums and brings an enjoyable ephemeral singularity. "Who else but the other" vibrating keyboard, slide guitar and I find the sound of LAZULI, the one that melts; a latent rise, a screaming guitar cry, Arnaud transcends this title, and the warm, fat, subtle solo makes me stop thinking, it's beautiful, we don't know if it's a 4 or 8 minute title , time fades away. Awesome. Acoustic guitar "handsaw" à la SUPERTRAMP, no à la BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST, yes I can't help giving hints; hymn title with an air à la SIMPLE MINDS for the plaintive notes as on 'Mandela Day'; in short, nothing new here but a title that must explode, bluff more than one on stage, to be continued. "Grey Lagoon" same departure, acoustics and voice; redundancy yes, ballad-rhyme to listen to in a pub, a mug of beer in hand, humming the 'ah-ah-ah'; it's the slide-country-greasy guitar solo that gets you going.

"Let's talk about time" with a very beautiful text, yes you have to take a moment and say it, the texts are bewitching, put forward and the orchestration is in fact set back, a certain fact on this nostalgic ballad, instruments which miss me. "The mourner in the rain" with a tune where the keyboard can still make you think of SUPERTRAMP; title-climb in two stages with another carabine solo from Arnaud to fly away until the end, that he is gifted this Arnaud. "The old-fashioned words" which send me back to these little Genesis laments between two large titles, as an interlude; a guitar arpeggio to guide Dominique's words, text still forward. "The cattle truck" ah finally a prog intro, I'm hard but I chronicle; the horn on a tune à la James BOND and the voice which wants to be more sustained, less nursery rhyme; the digression is nervous, the Léode returns to LAZULI with a twirling sound, superb 2nd title I am reborn. "A thousand dreams out of their cage" piano-rhyme with Dominique in front; the orchestral moment is more in continuity than as a frank space with a soft ending. "Le grand emptiness" I thought that it must be hard to compose, to find words to captivate.

LAZULI with Arnaud as a real '' frontman guitar '' gives a sequel to the magnificent concept album on Dieter; a modern music where the text is king, fortunately 'saved' by the instrumental flights. Simpler music, less complicated, it is launched; the pandemic is of course orienting them towards world-poetic-melodic sound, modern music that could be played on the radio, which risks posing a problem for many progues who plunged into dreamlike musical delusions. This is the downside without a doubt on their latest opus, a bet to dust off this dying prog? To get out of this spiral? You will have the choice to listen to the words, beautiful, very beautiful, but with this overrated society will they hit the mark... at the risk of having the evils of the lack of orchestral parts; the digibook is very beautiful for your information.

LAZULI distraught like the current world in which we turn, LAZULI releasing an unplugged album of compositions from his first 8 CDs, songs a little scratched alive to launch a snub to the crazy and lost world in which we live. Texts often whispered supposed to translate the stripped side, eviscerated, naked, texts released a year after their last live performance (live: moment of sharing between a group and its fans often put together without masks.). LAZULI whom I no longer present for having brought them to life when their last baby was released, who, like us, remains motionless and naked in front of this too long silence. "I am waiting for a spring" from "Season 8" for a subtle fight between crystal clear piano and haunting voice, purity and beautiful introduction to understand the meaning of the album. "In the formalin at the museum" of "4603 beats" on a tortured electric guitar, coming from the Léode enriching the a cappella sliding on shivering choirs. "Cassiopée" from "En avant doubt" and a subtle vibraphone, Arnaud's steel guitar that thrills, the instrumental break on the recognizable Léode, Lazulienne brand. "3:40 pm" of "4603 beats" and the limpid piano, polyphonic vocals in all simplicity, an obvious spectacular exposure and the suspension of time for this title. "My Kinds" from "Season 8" and the almost normal first song; the crescendic world-music rhythm with the percussions of Vince in front and a title to be repeated in public, by the fireside, just at 6 maximum; turn up the volume and sing along, this is the best therapy yet. The end with bursts of laughter confirms this idea. "Sad halves" of "As long as the grass is fat" minimalist, acoustic where Dominique's voice works wonders, one of the few French voices that I manage to listen to like an instrument while vibrating on his words; Shouting Léode prolonging this moment of serenity. "Multicolor" of "As long as the grass is fat" and the second title that does not seem to be revisited, good anger regarding this pandemic? The didjeridoo brings back to an aboriginal atmosphere which makes one travel at least. "A shadow on the board" of "Amnesia" sensitive on a guitar note seeming to play the tightrope walker, the dulcimer bringing a regressive note just enough to bathe its notes.

"Vita est circus" from "Nos souls drunk" with the Roman horn in front, a title that speaks for itself, personally I would have said a real brothel rather than a circus, in short it is so; the voice on a wire launches on the acrobatic and bucolic atmosphere of Charisma's rabbit; Glockenspiel and Leode to end with a psychedelic fanfare. "Naive" of "Amnesia" in monolithic trance at MINIMUM VITAL, bewitching, repetitive, the percussions forward as in titles from DEAD CAN DANCE, ah a magical Léode which passes then an Arabian horn in the end. "In advance of doubt" from the same album which speaks of the front, of the pandemic, no go we will forget all that for a few moments; the immense lap steel can fit into a mantra to open up to the beauty of the song; a heavy title that has nothing to do with chance. "La valse à cent ans" from "En avant doubt" for once again an exercise in style without a net with piano and voice; the keys ring and vibrate in the air, naked yes I had to say it at least once in this column; a sign my girlfriend loved it and started humming on it, go a little further and I convert her; melancholy introspective title on the life we ​​... live; Dominique will be happy. "La vie par la face nord" from "An incongruous response to the inevitable" for the rhyme in which Dominique flaunts her vocal cords, just to climb this Everest, the mandolin, the vibrating accordion and chasing the clouds. "A slope that we descend" from "As long as the grass is fat" with acoustic guitars do you want some here; a raw title as before a composition taken out of a village bar on a moonlit evening; It vibrates, it jumps, it lives, I will forget the pandemic, ouch electric guitar solo, I rejoice. "Our drunk souls" from the same album, strong title in concert! The absent Léode, the one who made you vibrate the last hair of your head, a short title remodeled with a duel of voices and guitars; a bit repetitive go "they" hear me and end with a chorale in the end. "An autumn" of "Amnesia" to end this journey beyond time and hope; melancholy yes, filled with hope surely, filled with emotion like a listening time outside of time; the piano, the horn bordering on spleen, the title fades to leave you naked.

LAZULI has therefore laid bare, almost to death, texts from his life to accompany us a little at home, to forget time, to refocus on words well before music; this is often acoustic and thus gives the impression of having the group performing in front of you ... with us; not a repeat, not a live, almost Lazulian gasoline which lands in the hollow of our speakers. LAZULI or the art of going beyond the sanitary rules, thank you.

Lazuli are a French group that do eclectic progressive rock with a lot of emphasis on melodies and powerful and brilliant developments. This album "Le fantastique envol de Dieter Böhm" is their ninth work and it is the first I hear from them, but it has already catch me to the point that I am giving a good review of the rest of their discography. The axis of this band is the Leonetti brothers, one of whom, by only being able to use one hand, plays a curious instrument made on purpose called "Leode" and which has a very interesting sound. Also, I find very refreshing to hear an album of this style sung in French: it sounds very lyrical and it suits perfectly the epic style of musical storytelling. The melodies and the developments are really beautiful and they combine energetic moments with other ones more serene in a very intelligent way. An album that can be heard multiple times without losing its freshness.

Brilliant, gorgeous, powerful and refreshing.

I've not read any of the other reviews of this album, I only saw the rating and decided to test it out. This is my introduction to Lazuli, and I wish we'd met long before this!

I speak maybe about a dozen words in French, although the ones I know don't seem to be in evidence on this album. But whatever the language, this album communicates brilliantly. It grabbed me from its beginning and kept me engaged all the way through.

Obviously, this is a tale of one Dieter Böhm, but I've no idea if Mr. Böhm is a fictional charter (I assume he is) or historical, etc. - but this story set to music is nonetheless such an enjoyable experience from beginning to end.

At some point, I'll look up a translation of the lyrics to find out what this story is actually about. But for now, the vocal melodies & harmonies and the solid song structures and flawless playing are more than enough to keep this on repeat in good ol' Winamp for me!

You'll not find Crimsonian dissonances nor Dream Theateresque fifty time changes and tandem 64th note runs. What you will find are solid, consonant songs of graceful beauty and majesty. There are no "filler" tracks, all seem to work gracefully and seamlessly within the whole. Although some standouts (to me) would include Baume (the melody of which I'll probably be croaking out on my deathbed) Les Chansons Sont Des Bouteilles A La Mer, and Dieter Böhm, but all of the tracks are excellent!

I'm hoping to come back at some point and re-do this review of an album that most certainly deserves to be heard, and I think is a definite 5 star ***** genuine masterpiece.

As always, your mileage may vary.

Grace and peace to you all. Cylli (Jim)

You will be amazed when you hear this band play live; not only because of their original sound but also due to unique combination of accessible music, light level of experimentation, touches of electronic and world music and last but not least, passionate French lyrics.

Starting with this album, the band improved songwriting and became a bit more adventureous taking more risks. The greatest assets are some partly more epic songs, good arrangements and more rocking sound than on the previous album. For tradional progger, the music will sound instrumentally not too challenging. "Captain Couer" has though a very pleasant guitar solo. My favourite song is the last one due to chord sequence.

LAZULI is a French group from the Gard terroir. He publishes here his 9th album on a concept of the life of a still alive man, quite singular it is true the tendency being rather with posthumous tributes. LAZULI is now one of the best French bands, using his native language in his compositions. LAZULI does LAZULI for world music, ethnic and eclectric tracks, but the progressive tendency is until now a little behind, with crescendo and final explosions. One particularity is the use of a Léode instead of a bass, an accident that forced Claude to find an instrument in his hand, which he does by transcending himself with now. Let's quickly see what is happening with this announced concept album. a prologue to launch "Sol" normal title which could pass as intro, the voice already slipping admirably among the notes; the tone is basic and gives the rhythm for the homo-erectus that we are!, waddling with the head, good point for a crescendo as knows how to do LAZULI with guitar soli by Gédéric and the Magic Leode by Claude. Chain with act 1 and two titles including "The Songs Are Bottles At The Sea" with cool, calm, a little spleen, even melancholic atmosphere but an atmosphere to take your breath away with this melodious, musical voice; a voice so well set up that I enjoy listening to it there, I reputed to listen to Prog only for the instrumental parts. Yes you already understood, this disc captivates me and makes me want to whisper the chorus in concert; the solo here is well placed, quite long, very nervous, just as I secretly and ardently wished during my last column on "Season 8". "Mers Lacrymales" hooked to the last track by a flight of planes ?, which shows the concept thought of the album, a track that flows like water to the sea, fast and with some convolutions. "Dieter Böhm" for act 2, also chained, which begins to retrace the story of this famous man, title a little behind with fairly simple choirs, but a rhythm on percussion that is fairly tribal and impressive, gives a boost peps (energy in France!) at the end of the track where you have to tune the radio. "Baume" then slides with the splendid, fragile voice of Dominique, a little piano, marimba and voila for a title of goldsmith, reminding me at times of magical titles that Peter GABRIEL was able to release solo, c is to say. Act 3 with a single title "A Lunar Face" on an acoustic guitar, we feel the title to rest a little that nay, a sudden rise with Léode and synths leaves the title thanks again to the crescendo voice of Dominique ; the Léode then goes first to show the extent of its capabilities, it is heavy, taking, bewitching, it is rave, we would like even more so the explosion was pleasant. Act 4 follows with "The flight" and an instrumental half-rhythmic, half-devilish which allows you to fly for a few minutes elsewhere, in an ethereal space, the time to see the arrival of "The Flying Man", that's good, for the title reminder in my opinion, title signed LAZULI, everything is there, atmosphere, sound, break, verses with lyrics highlighted, the musical sounds recessed at this time to better express themselves during the chorus; here, no spleen, a cheerful, enjoyable energy, a moment of rejoicing when "Dieter is beautiful and joins the guitars", yes I told you, this group is still incredible to reconcile instruments and voice in a progressive space in this almost perfect way; the solo part with synth and Léode who issues notes flirting with brass instruments at times gives a layer to the possibilities of the group. The epilogue "In The Hands Of Dieter" still chained, so 42 minutes nonstop in fact, with an instrumental intro eastern limit, ether again in my opinion with these voices in the distance, the title that tells you a happy end of history , a title without too many excellent passages, so no fireworks, but that's already a lot considering the score of the album, just the title reminder that lets you go with the waves of the sea; the title that closes the album with a trance-like voice that recalls his instruments for the orchestral, festive, enjoyable and Lazulian finale. Well, the long-awaited concept album is out, the baby is delivered and it is very beautiful! LAZULI therefore made a great album, less linear, less repetitive, more expressive, more based also on the quality of the instrumental; we find there the magic Léode and the guitar in prow on pieces cut for the scene, the progressive side explodes here there, even if we are already beyond the prog in fact. No boo here, besides I do not cite influencing groups, that too is a sign.