There are two things that immediately stand out when you start listening to this great all instrumental album:
- The excellent playing ability of the 3 members that constitute the band. No wonder they are all students in the Moscow Conservatory.
- The sheer brightness, optimism and happiness that the music is capable of transmiting and impregnate in the listener.
This Russian band has really surprised me. I had no knowledge of their existence and (obviously) had not heard their prior release, but listening to Awakening of the Elements is a complete round trip to complex, focused and vivid symphonic progressive fusion.
While not playing music that is similar to the bands I am about to announce, the spirit that is present in this music (that optimistic and brightness I mentioned) gets this band close to other bands/albums I’ve reviewed over time, such as Assolo di Bongo, Dixie Dregs (the Full Circle album comes to mind) and Agarta (other Russian band that I’ve liken a lot).
Curisouly, there is a playing element here that gets me to connect the music of Lost World to the contemporary symphonic fusion that is coming out of Japan, for the violin playing keeps reminding me of Akihisa Tsuboy (a musician I really appreciate). All these has to be considered as compliments to what this Russian band is presenting in this album.
There is a strong, omnipresent, concern in creating enjoyable and even beautiful melodies. But the band tries to do that while creating a very dynamic, complex and many times adrenaline driven music. In fact, the playing is not only infectious (the frantic violin, the excellent flute, the driving percussion work) but it is also harmonious and melodic, continuously forcing a smile on the listeners face.
This is a great instrumental album, recommended to all those who like complex symphonic prog/fusion with a summer daylight impregnation (a constant happy feel).
This is a band that I will surely keep track of.
