SIIILK

Here they are back again after two main events, two concerts opening for Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets and Gong, no less! And two successful albums including in Quebec. This third album is more progressive. The music is closer to Pulsar, Pink Floyd especially by Gilbert Gandil's guitars and Jacques Roman's keyboards (both ex-Pulsar members). Roland Richard from the prestigious Lyon combo even plays clarinet on one song. The music is really great as I said... and this is a concept album. Let's read what Richard Pick said about that in Acid Dragon #82: "Eemynor" is more «prog» than our previous albums with two long beginning tracks built like a symphony with movements and changes of atmospheres, alternating instrumental parts and more acoustic moments where our voices and lyrics tell the fantastic journey of people in wars who yearn for peace and serenity, a universal theme that finally sticks well to the actuality. Other tracks are in the Siiilk tradition, including 'Song for Syd' a tribute to Syd Barrett, a song I particularly like. A few precisions about the story now: In the kingdom of Eemynor, time no longer exists and the winters and wars have lasted for many decades. The harps chords have transposed from major to minor, the rainbows have lost their colours and the people their smiles. Weakened by endless conflicts, these warriors carry on untiringly tracing concentric motifs on the dry beds of the wastelands and deserts of Eemynor. They are skilfully elaborated with gold, lapis lazuli and saffron like an offering, a pleading ritual to the gods for the return of Love and the light of a regenerating spring. Excellent music and rich concept then, a great mix... In a nutshell, this record is a must have. One of the best French prog records ever released in the great tradition of the 70'. Highly recommended.

What a great news Siiilk sends us with Eemynor their latest recording. Everything is of an incredible quality, with the finesse of the atmospheres, the magic of the sounds, a permanent invitation to a world that does not exist, with the unique and dreamlike music they have invented. What a joy to hear the soothing of the soul, and all the high spirits that Gilbert Gandil and Jacques Roman (the two founders of the group Pulsar, which already projected us into the cosmos from 1974 to 2006), inhabited by all the tenderness and confidence of the very beautiful texts of Richard Pick on vocals, and the voice of Catherine Pick, a celestial and pure soprano, all in sweetness. Each track brings a dreamy cloud to this ensemble: Eemynor, which takes us from a desert to a weightless song a bit like Peter Gabriel from a few years ago, and ends like a blues where Gandil's fabulous guitar pierces us with its feeling. Signs in the sand, sounds like an epic magically transported to a mysterious world without any landmarks, and ends with a departure, as if in a memory that we haven't lived yet. Almost all the tracks have their own personality and complement each other. Burning hopes Catherine's sweet lyrical flight, Monsoon lights pearl of Middle Eastern etno-world music, Spandam and its violent breaks where Gandil tears our stomachs out, Morning rain a little more classical, then the extraordinary Song for Syd in 5 sublime parts, a tribute to Syd Barret that nobody has forgotten, and to close this album, "number 9" surprising by its originality, its innovation and the depth of its bewitching and sublime underwater world Thanks to Siiilk

A French band that only came into my awareness by way of their excellent 2017 release, Endless Mystery, though they've been around since at least 2011.

1. "Eemynor" (8:27) interesting Giancarlo Erra soundscape with Middle Eastern instruments and sounds peppering the sonic landscape. At the two-minute mark Gilbert Gandil's Fripp-ish "infinity guitar" (e-bow?) enters. Pretty. At 3:05 we switch to a plucked electrified acoustic guitar chord progression as the stark foundation. More blues rock-sounding guitar solos intermittently between and around Richard's whisper-sung vocal. (17.5/20)

2. "Signs in the Sand" (9:40) Part One sounds like Steven Wilson's 1990s Porcupine Tree. (17.667/20)

3. "Burning Hopes" (4:52) graced by the gorgeous voice of Catherine Pick, this sounds a bit like a Scandanavian dream pop band--like something by Anna Järvinen or Stina Nordenstam. (8.75/10) 4. "Monsoon Lights" (4:49) dobro-like stringed instrument strummed with Indian woodwind (daf) while Richard and Pick perform a vocal duet. Their timing, unfortunately, is not very well synchronized. Nice music beneath, though. (8.5/10)

5. "Spandam" (4:42) opens with guitar picked like something rom PINK FLOYD's The Wall ("Goodbye Blue Sky"). In the second minute it ramps up with full band for a nice HACKETT-like guitar solo. Interesting how close this sounds to several other famous songs (including Crhis Isaak's "Wicked Game"). (8.667/10)

6. "Morning Rain (5:12) picked and plucked electrified acoustic guitar descending chord sequence support vocals from both Richard and Catherine, alternating and together. Catherine's choruses have the support of the full band with drums; verses are sparse with only the complement of guitars and bass. Instrumental "C" section is sparse with "lonely" clarinet soloing over guitars and delicate cymbal play. (8.75/10)

7. "Song for Syd (6:34) with the arrival of this very Tim Bowness (No-Man)- or Giancarlo Erra (NoSound)-like song I am reminded of the effect that those two respective artist's albums have on me: I enjoy the beautiful songs and soundscapes they present to the listener--tremendously--on an indivicual song-by-song basis but find myself getting quite fatigued and disinterested over the course of an entire album. Nice song but I'm starting to get fatigued. (8.667/10)

8. "Number 9 (3:18) a looped monastic-like chant opens the first minute of this song as walkie-talkie-like vocal samples plays within. A Harold Budd-like treated piano scape then takes over before more military-like radio talk and Tibetan-like chant loop return. I also really enjoy the computer clicking used for the percussion track. A cool, refreshingly innovative song. My favorite on the album. (9/10)

Total Time 47:34

Endless Mystery received my personal dedication as prog's "ear candy" album of 2017 and Eemynor falls right into the same vein but it's just not quite as compelling.

B/four stars; an very nice addition to any prog lover's music collection.

SIIILK offers music from distant lands, with a soft hovering sound to meditate more than to move, latent and orchestral atmosphere inviting to reverie, the last one wants to prolong this singular musical effect let's slip into it.

"Eemynor, Pt. 1& Pt. 2" for the following soft, soaring atmosphere with the suave voice of Catherine responding to that of Richard; oriental sound with the magnificent guitar in the tradition of a certain David of course. "Signs in the sand, Pt. 1 & 2" follow with a Floydian arpeggio and Richard's melancholic voice in phrasing; a monolithic tune drawn by Gilbert's hot guitar; it is latent, without waves, in a melodic-progressive vein; the oriental ambient break takes us further on a mysterious sound space on the line of a SEVEN REIZH; the acoustic finale lacking in pep to go even further. "Burning Hopes" with a beautiful atmospheric intro, inviting you to daydream; basic melody with Catherine on vocals, tune à la Chris REA where the notes are shelled without background and with repetition, like a mantra.

"Monsoon Lights" drives the musical nail on the Persian direction, Alain using these instruments to good effect; title that pulls the album up showing an innovative clean sound; it's warm, it pleasantly reminds me of Loreena McKENNITT. "Spandam" slide to get the ears afloat; reverberation, a guitar solo that suddenly rips off accompanied by a more present bass and the sound takes on another stratospheric dimension, even if we could have expected even more intensity, my favorite in any case. "Morning Rain" and the return of the guitar arpeggio for an air placed to meditate on an Autumn evening when the night and the humidity arrive; Roland brings sensitivity with his clarinet and brightens up this title, the voices are monolithic so as not to frighten the moment of falling asleep, the stereo finale giving hope for something else. "Song for Syd" with a targeted track oriented PINK FLOYD as on 'Endless Memory'; more progressive, ambient and evolving title where the voice blends better into the notes; Jacques breathes a heavy atmosphere with his keyboards and the slide ends up melting on this hovering and bewitching title. "Number 9" repetitive instrumental, mantranic as end of course with NASA voice- over to extend this meditative page.

SIIILK continues to explore and offer borderline hypnotic melodic atmospheres between his floydian and oriental culture; opus to take in the evening as an infusion to go find Morpheus afterwards, album without wave where the orchestral moments contrast pleasantly, lacking in pep to escape even further; but the goal of this album not being to leave quickly close to oneself without realizing it? I ask myself the question of having had French voices to perhaps leave more easily.

Fans of atmospheric prog like DAVID GILMOUR, TONY PATTERSON, GIANCARLO ERRA, LAGARTIJA, EDISON'S CHILDREN, and NO-MAN (STEVEN WILSON) will love this album. It seems that each year there rises one album of pure prog ear candy, and, for me, this is this year's. Guitarists Richard Pick and Gilbert Gandil both have the intuitive, melodic, yet sophisticated, sixth sense as to when and how to play their parts--both leads and rhythm parts--masters of timing and the use of space. Uncredited background singer (though she has two leads, on "Merging" and "Green Boy") proves to be a tremendous asset wherever and whenever she is used, and drummer Attilio Terlizzi and bassist Guillaume Antonicelli are so smooth, so solid, and so polished at their craft that there is never a flaw in the foundational elements of the songs. And the compositional maturity as expressed in subtle and unexpected (yet expected, if you know what I mean) shifts and changes is extraordinary.

1. "Inner War" (5:54) opens with a soundscape strikingly similar to Giancarlo Erra's NOSOUND's LightDark album sound. I especially love the acoustic guitar work on this one--the last 90 seconds are awesome. (8/10)

2. "Endless Mystery" (5:41) a solid, steady Neo Prog song with an awesome guitar solo section in the middle. Several tracks of bluesy lead electric guitar, great acoustic guitar work (and recording!) with an amazing David Gilmour "Near the End" solo (you know the song I'm talking about?! One of the most emotional guitar solo songs ever made!) in the middle and then again at the end. (9/10)

3. "Black Old Train" (8:02) uneventful opening half; solid, even powerful instrumental mid-section. This lead guitarist has a gift that this listener has only heard in a handful of guitarists over history, Roye Buchanan, Jeff Beck, and David Gilmour being the old masters of said gift. The solos on this song offer but one chance for you to hear this gift. (9/10)

4. "Merging" (4:46) is an exceptionally well and subtly crafted song which serves as a vehicle for the extraordinary Sara Aliani (LAGARTIJA)-like voice of female singer, Catherine Pick. Haunting. (9.5/10)

5. "Escape" (4:42) another song that begins rather bucolically and then amps up after the first round of singing finishes. I love the subtle guitar work and hand drums, but it really never takes off. (8.5/10)

6. "Drifting Words" (5:30) interesting from the start, thanks to the ominous chords and background synth drone. The use of tablas is also very nice. No, it's brilliant; genius! At 1:30 Mellotron and awesome bass line and drums join in. Nice groove! The build up from here is also great. Love the alternating Mellotron "hits" behind the soloing electric guitar! A near-perfect song! (10/10)

7. "Questions" (4:42) puts on display the extraordinary instincts of both the guitarists, one strumming on acoustic and the other expressing effortlessly yet so-emotionally with the electric. Really nice piano work in support. (8.5/10)

8. "Green Boy" (8:14) acoustic guitar with awesome, haunting female vocals open this song. Total transition beginning at 1:35 to more eerie, atmospheric instrumental. Bird and walking-in-the-woods noises open as rolling bass line, synths, and sliding, delayed lead guitar play. At 3:35 fuzzed-out aggressive electric guitar strums announce a transition. This feels so much like a LUNATIC SOUL song--until the clarinet sound in the fifth minute. Piano, classical guitar, clarinet and occasional mellotron hit play over rhythmic Indian percussion track. Very moody; sad but beautiful. The final 1:30 takes us back into the woods--leaves and babeling brook noises--with intermittent synth play. Nice, surprising song. (9.5/10)

9. "Ultimate" (2:28) is a pretty, melancholy, very European sounding late night winding-down song featuring piano and harmonium, husband and wife, performing a duet. Perfect ending to this beautiful album. Beautiful song. (9.5/10)

If there is any weakness in the band's sound it is in the rather unexceptional, though solid, lead vocal performances by Richard Pick. Nothing flashy or technically remarkable, just another human voice (though not as human as the "voice from you and me" of Bob Dylan) singing his message to the world. If the instruments were as plain and ordinary as this voice, I would not be writing a review of the album. But this is not the case, as the instruments, composition, and arrangements create such a sublimely beautiful and emotionally compact portrait of the human experience that I beg everyone to seek it out.

A five star album; a masterpiece of progressive rock music and my early nod for Prog Ear Candy Album of the Year (succeeding last year's Equations of Meaning from Tony Patterson).

There are times when one comes across an album that is perfect in just so many ways that it is hard to quite know what to say about it, or how to describe it so as to give it justice, and that is what I am faced with right now. Siiilk are back with their second album, following on from the highly-rated debut 'Way To Lhassa' and I have no issue at all with saying that this is superior. It is a songs-based album, built around the vocals and acoustic guitar of Richard Pick, but what provides the depth is the quality of all the musicians involved and how they all know how to best utilise both space and dynamics.

It is a dreamy, reflective album, bringing together elements of Pink Floyd, Seventies Barclay James Harvest, Camel, Caravan, and so much more. This is music that takes the listener to a place that only exists between the ears, music to get lost in, music to be transported by. There are times when the full band are involved, (and they also bring a couple of guests to add some additional nuances with clarinet and Indian tablas), and it is the arrangements that make all the difference as often there will only be one or two others involved besides Richard, with everyone knowing their place and how their contribution reflects overall. Catherine Pick has a beautiful voice, sometimes taking the lead, but often providing sympathetic backing and the restraint and control demonstrated throughout the album is considerable. This is simply stunning and essential to anyone who enjoys this style of progressive rock.

The first album released by the oddly-named Siiilk is as close to essential as any debut by a new group in recent memory. But of course the band isn't entirely new: their pedigree extends back to Prog's mid-'70's golden age, with roots in the symphonic space rock of PULSAR, last heard on the year 2007 reunion album "Memory Ashes".

That same rich Pulsar sound was updated for the new ensemble, built around the original core of Gilbert Gandil (guitar) and Jacques Roman (keyboards). The veteran duo is reinforced here by a sympathetic rhythm section, and a singer-songwriter (Richard Pick) whose winsome voice - singing in attractively accented English - perfectly complements the atmospheric flow of the music.

An obvious knee-jerk comparison can be made to post-"Animals" Pink Floyd, minus the one-note social misanthropy of Roger Waters and with a far more appealing melodic range. The tempos are relaxed, the mood is wistful, and the gorgeous arrangements were further enriched by some exotic instrumentation: French Horn, harmonium, bass clarinet, doudouk (an Armenian oboe), and the delicate soprano of Catherine Pick, matching the gentle cadence of her husband Richard's lead vocals.

But the anchor is Gandil's lead guitar, played as always in a style midway between Steve Hackett and David Gilmour, albeit with a romantic signature all his own (he is French, after all...) The songwriting is arguably too measured at times, rarely straying from the same chords and tuning. But the music itself is undeniably luscious, rising on occasion toward moments of genuine passion, as heard in Gandil's soaring guitar solo on "Leaving North", or the ecstatic climax to the title track.

All those extra letter "i's" in the band's moniker are a nuisance. But their first recorded effort begins at a point other groups would be happy to consider as a career peak, with the promise of even better music to come (a second album was just released at this writing: stay tuned...)

Gilbert Gandil and Jacques Roman are two veteran proggers , the core of French legends Pulsar who have revived a long career with the delightful Memory Ashes in 2007 and now explore new horizons with this spectacular debut album. Together with Lyon musicians Guillaume Antonicelli on bass and drummer Attilio Terlizzi, they provide vocalist and songwriter Richard Pick some seasoned instrumental prowess and elegant letters of recommendation! Gandil remains a unique guitarist, a step behind the more famous Gilmours, Hacketts and Latimers, using a warm shimmering style. The stunning cover art by renowned French artist Kaviiik only heightens the pleasure, with depictions of Tibetan landscapes and Hindu goddesses, all swimming in a gorgeous turquoise/emerald sheen. The material is decidedly atmospheric, an elusive union of symphonic mellotron, flute and acoustic guitar, occasionally adorned by Gandil's purposeful lead electric soloing. Nothing heavy or harsh, the expansive compositions lend themselves to reflective introspection and profound imagery ,as the music takes the listener on a magical adventure from Europe to the Himalayas , on the 'Way to Lhassa", blending in a wide variety of ethnic instrumentation to add simmering spice to the orchestral brew. Because this is really a classical example of a sonic travelogue, there is a fair sense of continuity to each track, flowing from one impression to another rather seamlessly and as such, should be listened to as a whole.

"Childhood Memories" as the title implies, initiates the journey under the guise of a young mind dreaming of adventure, curiosity about our travelling universe in the most exotic fashion, a yearning "to be free". Vocalist Richard Pick has a mellow, slightly accented voice which never disturbs and the gentle instrumentation has a puerile feel to it, a perfect beginning.

"Between" is the longest piece here .clocking in at 6.43 and immediately shows off some sublime electric guitar phrasings from both Pick and Gandil, a dreamy, soft-rock composition highlighted by trembling and fragile vocals, a steady beat and the afore mentioned axe work. Jacques Roman fulfills the same in role as in Pulsar, a rich keyboard carpet, lush with simple symphonicity. "Cathy's Woods" is propelled by serene flute, acoustic guitar and dense mellotron scapes that hint at early pastoral King Crimson or even McDonald-Giles. Intensely melancholic and brooding, the journey just gets more personal and focused, showing undeniable prog tendencies. The choir segue "In the Grey Chapel" is a very brief vocal-only interlude that surprises by its simplicity.

"Leaving North" defines itself by a core folk song of utter escapist beauty, voice and acoustic guitar in complete agreement, with a sudden intrusion of a spooky electric guitar that sparkles in the rain. This is my fave tune here, a perfect microcosm of melancholia, drenched in saturated keyboards and shimmering guitars. Gilbert Gandil spurts brilliantly in his inimitable style, slow and gentle, very sentimental. This segues nicely into the terrific "Midlife Crisis", where the Gandil factor explodes through the speakers, a colossal bluesy 6- string rant that would provoke flattering admiration in both Gilmour and Latimer. Gurgling synths, cascades of voice effects give this a very modern Floydian feel, another winner on this stunning album.

"Khajuraho Dreams" is where one looks up towards the Himalayan crests in awe of Nature's immense power, a male-female vocal duet that stands out by its murmuring splendour, again adorned by rustling acoustic and electric guitar phrasings and Roman's ivory coloratura. Fascinating nugget, indeed!

The title track is the second longest feature at 6.37 and the ethnic instruments are given the front stage, glistening amid the oriental imagery, the bells, gongs and percussives, giving the piece an ethereal Tibetan feel. The arrangement veers into the progressive realm as soon as the bass and drums kick in, elevating the enjoyment with a sterling Gandil foray, luminous and grandiose. As the mountains demand of its visitors, there is a palpable sense of breathlessness that comes across vividly in the details.

"Witness" is definitely soporific and laid-back, gleaming in a swath of evocative ennui, as if wanting to elicit a sense of invincible fatigue. But this piece means to be a stylistic contrast to the hard edged finale, the sensational "Wladyslaw's Marching Band" , where the mood gets decidedly jittery with both Antonicelli and Terlizzi marshaling the beat, in agreement with rainy atmospherics, brooding rhythms and a light experimental touch, orchestral and ghost-like.

Siiilk is a delightful and frankly unexpected debut from a group of seasoned musicians, a strong Sunday afternoon-like sonic adventure. Nothing overtly complex yet never dull or senseless. The Pulsar duo surely provide a massive boost in terms of credentials but their playing is inspired and majestic.

4.5 Everest Avenues