OMNI

KARFAGEN was initially noted for his MINIMUM VITAL and TRANSATLANTIC sounds, which brought a playful folk touch to his work. GENESIS, Mike OLDFIELD, UK, CAMEL, YES, GLASS HAMMER, and THE FLOWER KINGS are among his musical references, not to mention PROKOFIEV, GRIEG, and KORSAKOV for classical music.

"OMNI Part 1" on the first side features "Omni Overture," a clean synth from the GENESIS era, with thumping drums; a thunderous, airy intro that adds energy; it's sure to get people talking with its telltale brass. "Storyteller (Part 1)" follows, with Richard from CARAVAN and CAMEL singing with his suave voice on a marshmallowy track, aka melting, velvety, "Canterburyen." Softness and rhythm for new prog rather than symphonic prog: the important thing is to be carried. Michel ST-PÈRE (MYSTERY) and John HACKETT come to throw their notes to inflate the piece in modern mode. "Whispers from the Past" in folk variation with female voices and romantic choir; a flute, an air, a melody from medieval times. The interlude to settle down, in the vein of SUNCHILD. "The Spark" with Per MALMBERG (SALVA) as guest vocal, sound of ELO and again of GENESIS 3rd version. The brass amplifies the funky-groovy period of certain groups of the 80s, TOTO and the AOR which shines through, EARTH, WIND & FIRE on the other. The instrumental finale with Antony's keyboards shows his dexterity, his creation; FLOWER KINGS for the finale. "Masterplan" continues, keyboards in front; Soapy, cottony, apparently like Bodin, and Antony for me, singing too, in short, SUNCHILD with a rather common sound. The drift and the finale are worth much more, the nervous guitar setting this track alight before the flavor of the melting keyboard. "Mirror of Souls" concludes, a cinematic symphonic soundtrack with a grandiloquent baroque air; unrestrained prog with John's bucolic flute.

"OMNI Part 2" opens with "Unchained," marking the beginning of the second side, like in the days of CDs, LPs, and cassettes. Jean Pageau (Mystery) adds his voice, a moment of latency over a piano coulis; a slow drift and the melting solo arrives; it's very bucolic, very culinary, very neo-prog too. This solo is just perfect, rising in intensity and emotion; from reliable sources, it's definitely Max Velichko (Inside the Sound) who's having a blast on it. Jean takes control for a while but the solo explodes the song musically; melancholic outro piano and keyboard calmly bringing "The Cards We Play" with a new change, flute from John, singer Marco GLÜHMANN (SYLVAN) with his stamped prog voice, Richard for his bass and Michel coming to deposit their progressive doses. Antony amalgamates everything as a conductor to make this title the central spearhead of this side worthy of a baroque rock opera without naming it. Dark outro flute, guitar, keyboard and "You and I" appears, Bartosz KOSSOVICZ (COLLAGE) working his voice between that of Steven WILSON and FISH; an intimate, spleen, captivating new prog. The guitar solo returns to the emotions of English neo prog, more languid, sweeping away the question of having so many beautiful voices on this side; very warm. "Storyteller (Part 2)" ends the album with a chorus of velvety voices for the bucolic, rustic track; Richard radiates the most, as does Antony; the tune seems to have come straight from a Robert Wyatt album.

KARFAGEN releases OMNI, a musical journey that takes Antony's personal work far back with this blend of symphonic, aesthetic, and fantastical rock. Originally on profilprog (4.5).

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