KANT FREUD KAFKA

Catalonian Javi Herrera is back with his third Kant Freud Kafka release--this one his most polished and well-- produced if most complex collection of songs.

1. "Voz de Metal" (10:18) While I like Javi's male tenor, his lyrics and melodies aren't really to my liking. While I hear hints at previous structural, chordal, and melodic themes, I am happy to feel that this is a song of mostly original ideas. Nice engineering and balance among the sonic landscape--though Alia's beautiful mezzo-soprano perhaps should not be allowed to overshadow Javi's voice so much when it's present. Perhaps their voices could have used a little electronic enhancements as well--to increase the proggy mystique of their story. As it stands, they're a little stark and standout-ish. (And boy does Alia have some strong pipes!) (17.5/20)

2. "Carta de Gaia" (13:05) opens with a female narration over metallic chimes percussives. Acoustic steel-stringed guitars (picked and strummed). More tuned percussion joins in beneath Alia's gorgeous singing--in her wonderful, soaring, crystal-clear upper registers. The centerpiece for the first four is by far and away Ms. Herrera. Then Javi's Moogy synth takes the lead for about a minute before Alia's voice returns. Now accompanied by the Moog and her own background vocal tracks, the song just gets better. I wish I understood the lyrics! At 8:15 the full band kicks in to give it the real prog treatment. All the while Alia's vocals remain so strong, so powerful, so moving! Electric guitar soloing in the 12th minute is primo prog--excellente--over solid, engaging music! At 12:23 we return to the opening acoustic theme--with cello to help Alia finish. Beautiful! Great prog! (23/25)

3. "Conspiranoia" (4:44) piano-based instrumental with bowed acoustic bass and buzz-saw synth and tuned metallic percussives playing the whole way. More avant jazz than the previous pieces. (8.5/10)

4. "My Baby Just Scares for Me" (8:41) Fender Rhodes, electric bass, and my favorite instrument on the planet, cor anglais share the soundsphere of this one. Then, heaven to betsies! oboe joins in to work a verse with the cor anglais! I'm in heaven! Then strings show up in the mix, thickening it considerably. Gorgeous! One of my favorite chamber pieces of the year! At 4:25, a Spanish-feeling jazz combo joins in with piano. The music remains beautiful, then the bass and drums start to get a little showy, spicing up the music quite a bit. Multiple melody lines in the seventh minute compete a little for my attention, but still work. I'm not quite sure how the title fits, but, ... (17.75/20)

5. "El Acantilado" (15:00) Pure chamber rock--acoustic string quartet with synthesizer--for the first four minutes. Then drums and electric guitar enter the piece, with sequencer-like keyboard "bass" track to soon follow. The rock instruments have now taken over, are the dominant purveyors of the music--which remains pretty much the same (despite the drums and thumping bass). The heaviness of this progified version of the chamber music is a bit surprising, but you can tell these instrumentalists know what they're doing. At the seventh minute, the rock rhythm instruments desist while synth and harp continue weaving with synth bass chords and . This evolves into a pretty harp-dominated accompaniment for a Javi and Alia duet. Around 9:20 jazzy fretless bass joins in and then, with the next round, Fender Rhodes, drums, and jazz electric guitar. Then flute--which plays tag with the guitar for a bit before the two lovely voices team up in a round of vocalise before segueing back into their lyrical duet. In the 12th minute, the electric instruments are let loose to wreak havoc, followed by an emotional tenor sax! In the fourteenth minute the Arp synth and violin bring back some of the themes from the opening as the rest of the musicians seem to peter out and die off. (A metaphor for the Holocene Extinction? The Cliff!) (26.5/30)

Total Time 51:48

Though highlights for me are definitely the way the orchestral instruments and mezzosoprano are worked into the music, I am so very much in awe of Javi's compositional prowess and bold blending of classical, jazz, and proggy elements. His daughter, Alia, is quite a talent--as is bass master Dani Fernandez.

B+/four stars; an excellent display of classically- and jazz-based progressive rock music--of the highest caliber of compositional and performance skill. Highly recommended!

The drummer Javier Herrera's project once again delights us with this new release "Historias del Acantilado" (Stories from the cliff), thier third album, three years after his beautiful "Onírico". A concept album, with a more philosophical than narrative concept, which reflects concerns about the destiny of humanity.

The formula used here it's (as it was on their previous records) a symphonic rock with many influences from classical music and with a "chamber music format" in which the sounds of acoustic instruments and great vocal lines are integrated. A work with a lot of emphasis on feelings and the evocative power of music and words.

KANT FREUD KAFKA is the project of drummer/ composer Javi Herrera. He's from Spain and plays a Symphonic style of music although the Classical elements are very strong here too. In fact I'm not really into Classical music so part way through I'm thinking "I didn't do my homework again" but this time I'm glad I didn't. Even from the first spin there was this beauty and sophistication about the music that drew me in. Many spins later I really appreciate the high brow sounds including Javi's vocals and his daughter's vocals as well, and her name is Alia Herrera. They both must be vocally trained, really classy stuff. "Onarico" is Javi's second studio album, I haven't heard the debut.

I probably will always associate this album with driving to my daughter's this past Christmas morning after a heavy snowfall followed right after with my drive in sunny but very windy conditions with a lot of blowing snow and lots of snow period. Driving in these surreal conditions with "Onarico" as my soundtrack was very cool. So besides Ravi we get a lot of guests including his daughter of course. Lots of strings plus oboe, mandolin, bouzouki, dulcimer, double bass, bass and more.

"Insomnio De Una Noche De Verano" opens with piano and drum rolls as this dramatic theme continues on and on until the electric guitar rises out of this drama just before a minute. A calm with what sounds like mellotron as the piano returns. Beautiful sounds. Pulsating synths, bass, drums and more then the piano takes over again. The drum rolls are back! Is that bouzouki 3 minutes in? Sparse piano and atmosphere before 4 minutes then double bass takes over. Energy before 5 minutes as we get a beat and more. Check out the guitar before 6 minutes. Nice. Piano, bass and drums continue here then they lead 7 minutes in. A calm follows with piano and strings. Synths only after 8 minutes then the piano returns.

"Dulces Suenos" opens with piano only as strings join in then oboe. Beautiful female vocals with piano a minute in. Cello follows as the vocals step aside. Male vocals after 2 minutes with piano and strings. Female vocals are back before 3 1/2 minutes then male vocals before 4 minutes as they continue to take turns.

"Os Quan Dormo Que Hi Veig Clar" is the longest track at almost 11 minutes. Ominous atmosphere as what sounds like church organ joins in along with male and female vocals. Some synths too. Female vocal melodies 1 1/2 minutes in as male vocals continue in this dramatic section. Piano follows as the vocals step aside. Somewhat light but distorted riffs arrive eventually fading out. They seem out of place. Drums and more join in. Male vocals too in this section. A change before 5 1/2 minutes as the guitar starts to solo as the drums pound. Synths replace the guitar just before 6 minutes. Piano and female vocal melodies after 7 minutes as the male vocals also join in. It turns quite heavy after 8 minutes as the vocals stop. Strings too. More electric guitar before 9 1/2 minutes and organ, drums and male vocals end it. Nice upfront bass here too. Piano only ends it actually.

"Vida Y Muerte" opens with piano melodies as strings also join in. Some atmosphere here too adding depth. Nice bass lines before 1 1/2 minutes signalling a change as the tempo picks up with drums and more. So good! Oboe around 2 minutes. The heavy stuttering drums in atmosphere bring PORCUPINE TREE to mind. Cool section then the piano tinkles away in that atmosphere. Oboe is back with piano and strings before 4 minutes. Piano only then male vocals 4 1/2 minutes in. Strings only after 5 minutes. It turns dramatic before 6 1/2 minutes. I like the piano and bass as male and female vocals join in. Great section then a big finish.

"A Nightmare On major St." opens with percussion as drums join in. Cool stuff as piano and strings come and go. Soon it's percussion and piano only after a minute then the male vocals join in sounding like one of the singers for TEARS FOR FEARS. Female vocals too then organ before 3 1/2 minutes then oboe as male vocals continue. A dramatic guitar solo takes over before 6 minutes with bass, drums and more. Insanity after 7 minutes then percussion ends it as it blends into the final song.

"Awakenings" continues with the percussion as male vocal melodies join in then piano. Strings before a minute then oboe as the vocals become more passionate. Mandolin only before 2 minutes then drums and guitar take over. Nice. Female vocals around 4 1/2 minutes followed by piano and bass then the drums and electric guitar return. Oboe comes and goes. More aggressive guitar after 7 minutes then percussion and strummed Spanish guitar. Synths before 8 1/2 minutes.

Just too much to like here plus this is a nice change to listen to for yours truly. Classy is the word but they let their hair down quite often. A solid 4 stars.

Barcelona's JAVI HERRERA has done it again. As if 2014's labour of love, No tengas miedo wasn't spectacle and production perfection enough, Javi has pulled together another masterpiece, this time based on dreams. The presence of voices--Javi's own voice and that of female vocalist, Alia Herrera (Javi's daughter)--make this quite a different listening experience from No tengas miedo. The vocal performances and stylings remind me quite a bit of those from Olga Polgaskaja's FIVE-STOREY ENSEMBLE's 2013 (and, thus far, only) release, Not This City. Beautiful and almost operatic. Also, the electric guitar performances are amazing. Very dynamic and technically superlative.

1. "Insomnio de una noche de verano" (9:27) an instrumental in which classical/acoustic instruments and composition styles are trying to be blended (sometimes feeling a bit forced) with electronic, sometimes bombastic, instruments and sounds. Still, there are moments and passages of absolutely stunning beauty and emotion--much of it quite memorable. (9/10)

2. "Dulces sueños" (5:18) is an absolutely beautiful and completely classical arrangement and production featuring piano, cello, cor anglais and the dual voices of Alia and Javi. (9.5/10)

3. "És quan dormo que hi veig clar" (10:54) is very patchy, moving from more classically-oriented sections of gorgeous music to dynamic electronic passages often quite awkwardly and incongruously. The musicianship is of the highest caliber, the composition and arrangement is not quite as polished. Male and female vocalists accompanied by church organ open in a beautiful one minute introduction before wormy little synth noodles sneak in and a piano-based rock sequence establishes itself. This part of the song, sung in Spanish, is not quite as engaging. Neither the sung verses or choruses, but the instrumental soli in between are quite something. The wailing electric guitar with oboe is a bit much. The ensuing GENESIS-like synth solo section is very nice. This then moves via piano arpeggi into another gorgeous vocal section (a reprise of the opening?) which then builds into a combined classical-electric instrumental crescendo. Great melodies and key and chord-changes. I wish it would end here, but it goes on into a kind of cinematic/theatric celebratory finale. (9/10)

4. "Vida y muerte" (8:28) another jazz-classical opening with solo piano and double bass setting the scene quite beautifully. In the second minute the electric bass, synths, and drums find their way into the mix. So far so good (it's still fairly subdued). Oboe. Nice. A little drumming flash. Baroque-sounding Christmas instruments. Were half way through. Tuned percussion and Javi singing in his gorgeous operatic voice. Strings join in. Wow! What a treat! At 6:15 a electric guitar crash signals the rock section--all the while Javi and two tracks dedicated to Alia's voice weave their "vida" into the piano and electric band music. It's really working! Organ, drums, and piano vying for ascendency before the song finishes with a electronic rock flourish. (9.5/10)

5. "A Nightmare on Major St. (7:33) opens with programmed drum sequence that is soon joined by real drums, piano and strings and electric guitar and bass. An odd combo. (A little like Phil Collins' 1983 GENESIS foundation to "Mama.") Javi's singing narration is okay--maybe a little more theatric than necessary. Even the presence of Alia's voice and cor anglais do little to engage me. The instrumental section in sixth minute with its guitar solo just proves to me that it's really the electric guitar that grates me; it just feels too much--the sound used and volume are more than should be necessary, in my opinion. (8/10) 6. "Awakenings (9:03) opens with the programmed drum sequence from the previous song bleeding in before Javi's "Wake up" and piano gradually supplant it. Definitely been there, done that (as a father, that is) though I was more prone to use Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft" to wake my daughters up. At 1:45 mandolins and bouzouki and crotals introduce a new section, which eventually turns into a neat instrumental passage based upon an old ALAN PARSONS PROJECT melodic riff (from the end of Tales of Mystery and Imagination's finale, "To One in Paradise" in which many of the album's most memorable themes are recapitulated). Before you know it we're at the seven minute mark and another too loud electric guitar solo takes us away from the beauty that had been so well established. Javi's daughter Andrea's tap dancing gives us the rhythmic percussion sounds to accompany the Spanish guitar section in the eighth and ninth minutes. Then a synth solo amps things up leading to a rather bombastic end (despite Andrea's cute "ba-bop" tap at the very end). (9/10)

Though the electronic and more rock-oriented performances are very good, it is the classical-jazz passages and sounds that attract more of my attention and listening pleasure.

A masterpiece of progressive rock music.

Spanish project KANT FREUD KAFKA is the creative vehicle of composer and musician Javi Herrera, who operates out of Barcelona. " No Tengas Miedo" is the debut album by this venture, and was self released in 2014.

I understand that this project has been in the works for quite some time, and that the initial versions of the music on this album actually came to be some 30 odd years ago, and that the material have slowly developed over time into the album that saw it's release in 2014 with recordings done over an elongated period of time. Which probably explains why this album comes across as so well developed and coherent throughout: My impression is that this is the work of a critical creator that have steadily worked to improve all aspects of the material.

As for the music itself, it will by and large go down as a symphonic progressive rock production in my book. It's not a case of this being a typical venture of this kind however, but more a case of this being the genre description that is the most fitting for the end result here.

What we are dealing with here is an album that moves rather freely between multiple genres as a matter of fact, and where the compositions might as well have been written as classical music suites expanded to become progressive rock as they might be progressive rock excursions expanded into the realms of classical music.

Typically the compositions on this album will move freely between multiple styles with, say, an orchestral opening sporting acoustic and digitized instruments, smoothly seguing over to a more delicate passage that then expands into a more typical jazzrock oriented sound, which gradually opens and blooms into a more typical symphonic progressive rock creation, at times also venturing into more of a classic hard rock sound, and then gradually moves the other way again, concluding with a classical or orchestral feature of a comparable nature as the one that opened the composition.

Other varieties of developments are present here as well, but just about all of them covers the main bases outlined above. The classical sections may be a single piano, delicate chamber music material or more majestic classical symphonic music, the jazzrock sections tends to be smooth, elegant, and occasionally with a funky presence by way of the guitar. When venturing into symphonic progressive rock territories there is a slight tendency to stick to a sound and mood comparable with Camel, but occasionally these will also be rather more dramatic in scope and execution, with bands like Genesis and ELP also given planned or accidental nods along the way.

The end result is an album that should be a delightful experience for those who have a soft spot and strong affection for symphonic progressive rock. A certain taste for both jazzrock and classical music will be warranted, but most of all this is a production that should interest the progressive rock crowd, and arguably those who tend to appreciate bands similar to Camel most of all.

This must be one of the best efforts I have heard at merging classical music composition style (or perhaps one might say, movie soundtrack composition style) and Prog-Rock.

KFK is the project of Spanish composer and drummer Javi Herrera and its inception dates back to 25 years ago when a lady friend told him of her fear of darkness and her overcoming it, and it turned into a story about a mythological opaque world inhabited by two ladies, Dama and her daughter Adah, where Adah's curiosity and intransigence leads to the revealing of light and colour. Javi has been busy 25 years composing the music and the last 7 recording it, so it's anything but a hurried work.

I often get disappointed with modern one-man efforts but this is completely different. Javi has recruited a vast number of guest musicians, many of them playing orchestral instruments with plenty of violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet and Spanish guitar, and he himself is an accomplished drummer and there is a lot of grand piano too, so we get a very warm and organic sound, nothing to do with those cold DAW-VST Instruments-made albums. He also understands how subtle tempo cadences are required to create emotion, and the album is full of them, we get nothing of the click-track-feel which permeates many modern Prog works (and often one-man albums in particular).

It's an instrumental album, and a sign of its value is that it's hard to name clear influences. Perhaps The Enid, After Crying and some Anthony Phillips come to mind because of the classical instrumentation, but the compositions are quite different.

It's all very cinematic, highly dynamic, visual and emotional, Javi has a great command of the different chord forms combinations and sounds to create atmospheres and moods, very much in movie soundtrack style but with the Prog-Rock ingredients thrown in the mix for our delight. The guest musicians provide some highly emotional passages, mostly the violins and flutes notwithstanding the others such as the oboe, the English horn, the viola or the Spanish guitar.

The 5 tracks are long (7m44 the shortest), and it's difficult to name highlights since all of it is so good. Most of the music is composed in classical music (or soundtrack) style, thinking not about typical progressions/melodies/verses/choruses/solos, but about an emotive interplay between the different orchestral instruments creating a dynamic story, but now and then the electric rock section comes in throwing a welcome dose of energy, often with jazzy colours and otherwise with more clear Prog-Rock leanings such as Camel and a few bits of harder rock.

I can only say that I'm very impressed by this excellent album, this is music in pure form. Just one warning, Prog-Metal / Tech-Extreme fans stay away from it unless you want to learn about something completely different.

No tengas miedo is a conceptual "symphony" which comes as the result of the inspiration and coordination of one man, one mind, Barcelonan Javier Herrera. On this album Javi is principally the drummer, keyboard player, as well as composer and technical wizard. The music is inspired by a "Light out of Darkness" myth--a variation on the Demeter-Persephone mother-daughter dynamic--the story of which is printed within the album's liner notes. In it, Adah and her mother, Dama, inhabit of a world of darkness. this is, in fact, the only world either have ever known. Yet Adah, emerging adolescent that she is, is unsatisfied; she is curious to see what other 'options' are 'out there.' Ultimately, Adah's defiance of her mother's rules, expectations and commands result in the irreparable destruction of their once-loving relationship--as well as in unstable psychology within both women. A powerful, if tragic, story set to powerful music.

1. "Principio" (7:44) begins quite dramatically, quite cinematically, building and mounting tension for the first two minutes before giving way to a solo piano exposing a arpeggiated theme to be repeated throughout the rest of the "symphony." At 2:45 a full scale prog electric ensemble and theme bursts forth, with the introduction of a nice melodic theme from Moog and later electric guitar. Then at the 4:30 mark the whole mood and sound shifts toward that of a kind of cinematic jazz with a rock fusion ensemble performing within the horns and orchestrals of what sounds like a full orchestra (but I think is a synthesizer)--which reaches full crescendo before collapsing for the final 15 seconds into a kind of piano-jazz dénouement recapitulating its theme from the song's third minute. Cool song. (9/10)

2. "Dama" (12:34) opens with a solo piano establishing itself with a ballet-like arpeggiated play before settling into some chord play which establishes a melodic theme to be heard throughout the remainder of the symphony. The themes and moods here are presented slowly, gently, sweetly woven together--I think, to connote the beautiful of the mother-daughter relationship that has transpired up to this point. Some of the ANT PHILLIPS 12-string guitar arpeggios in the song's eighth minute, and, a soon, the discordant electric guitar solo and decaying drum and synth play, hint at the discord and wildness welling up from within the "insatiably curious" pubescent daughter. Mother (flute) tries her best to comfort her daughter with words in the order of "the way things have always been." Which work for a little bit. The classical guitar and oboe play of the final 75 seconds indicate that a peaceful harmony has been restored. Beautiful mostly bucolic song. (9/10)

3. "Viajes" (7:52) opens with minor-keyed cello and horns and before falling into a kind of jazzy-classical, relaxing, if slightly unsettling, piano and synth theme. This reminds me of the kind of piano theme music popularized in the 1970s by many artists--performing both original works and covers of well-known pop tunes of the day. Think Claude Bolling or Michel Legrand with a little Jean-Pierre Rampal. Flute, and later, "orchestra" are added in the third minute. At 2:30 flute and mellotron give way to thumping bass, floating ARP synth, funky rhythm guitar, and solid supporting jazz rock drums. Awesome section! Great CHICK COREA-like jazz piano work. Reminds me of KOTEBEL. Some very nice Hammond organ play ensues at the 4:15 mark before some rather insistent electric guitar chord repeats itself to interrupt the flow and restore the opening pastoral theme among flute and clarinet. In the seventh minute a sequence of rather heavy guitar chords reasserts its influence, setting loose some awesome synth and organ dueling over heavy jazz rock rhythm play. Nice song with some great prog power to it. (9/10)

4. "Antítesis" (16:02) opens with odd 'horn-gong,' 'Hammond-scrape' and mellotron before piano and flute restore their now-familiar theme from the two previous songs--woven a little more intricately, thanks to "harp," strings, and mellotron. Excellent and gorgeous section! At 2:28 a very-KOTEBEL-like theme and sound ensemble establish an awesome melodic theme over a catchy odd-tempo rhythm. Ear-catching bass play throughout this section. Gorgeous jazz guitar solo in the fifth minute. Then all things quite down for a chaotic bit of cymbal and electric piano interplay before a string quartet section restores harmony and beauty, if in a sad minor key, for a little while. Piano, electric piano, and woodwinds play with the tension in quite the ANTHONY PHILLIPS way. Beautiful work--then transitioning into and combining classical, to jazz-rock is extraordinary--breathtakingly beautiful--giving one hope for a positive resolution to the story's conflict. At 10:30, a kind of Eastern Peter Gabriel Passion-like 'animal horn' signals a shift of the struggle into an ensuing overdrive. Many of the album's themes are here pitted against and woven within one another using a vast array of acoustic and electric instruments. At 13:30, everything shifts into a fast-paced rhythm as solo synth and electric guitar take turns exerting their powerful voices--mother and daughter. But listen to that bas and drum play beneath it all! Awesome! Then everything stops (is the feud over?) for the final 30 seconds as classical guitar, flute, and then piano repeat their beautiful themes of peace and harmony. But what an awesome ride! My favorite section of the "symphony." (10/10)

5. "Hombre" (10:56) opens with sea waves over which the piano chord theme from before the SATIE-like variation of the solo arpeggiated piano theme return. Acoustic guitar and mellotron orchestra join in before the electric bass and drums complete the ensemble in a laid back song of healing and rejoicing. Oboe and then, at the 3:20 mark, that insistently repetitive electric guitar chord, disrupt the mood of harmony and beauty with a dose of the reality of the tense situation as the daughter reconfirms her independence with her act of defiance. Various and familiar themes ensue and continue to "battle it out" in true TONY BANKS/GENESIS form (including some truly remarkable PHIL COLLINS-like drumming beneath an awesome jazz/ERIC GALE-like guitar solo) until the final mellotron orchestral minor chords finally fade out in their unresolved, tension-laden forms. The way the three-minute ending ploddingly winds down is not my favorite part of the "symphony," but it's still good--and does make sense to me: it is consistent with the story content. I guess I just want a slightly different story ending--like one in which the mother can accept and detach from trying to control her daughter. Or one in which the daughter can prove her "adult" independence without her mother showing such signs of ego-driven immaturity, with instead, praise and adulation. (8/10)

How anyone could not see the symphonic structure of this song to me indicates that those persons had not given their true attention to the entirety of this beautiful and powerful piece of musical theater. When coupled with a familiarity with the accompanying story, it is clear to me that this album of music is a masterful musical expression of one artist's literary inspiration. Though it may truly be a 4.5 star album, I am elevating this one into my pantheon of prog "masterpieces" due to its exceptionally well done realization of literature as music.

This, the debut album by drummer/composer Javi Herrera and raft of talented side musicians has become one of my favorites of the year very quickly.

Herrera's music is lushly orchestrated symphonic rock, that easily migrates from classic sounds of seventies symph prog, to tight jazz fusion, with even heavy Pink Floyd like space rock, and even funk.

Herrera's notes say that the album is a story of light and darkness, fear and anger, expressed through music. That may be so. All I know is that I've become obsessed with it, an album that excels in composition and performance from start to finish.

I know that these are very few words for such a fine album, but I just find it deliciously indescribable.

4.5 stars, that I'll round down, in case they get even better.