The latest ESP Project album, Velvet Crunch has arrived. Tony Lowe is back and he means business. He is all over this, overseeing the music and handling production duties (not forgetting the bass, keyboards and programming). The lyrics and vocals for this latest outing are covered by Peter Coyle with the drums delivered by Mark Brzezicki (recorded at Mill Hill Studios). The album was mastered by Barry Gardner and the artwork is all down to the magic of Cheryl Stringall, arranging the photography and design of the CD. What a marvellous job she has done with this. So how does it all come together? How does it all sound I hear you ask? Mystical Tangle doesn't waste any time kicking things off. It immediately plants the seed of what this album is all about, both sonically and thematically. The main theme is centred around the underground systems that connect trees and plants and what an intriguing concept this is to explore. They do this here with polished, yet beautifully complex compositions. As we have come to expect from this project, it's all tastefully executed and we can all rest assured that the quality heard on their previous releases is still very much there. The music is earthy, dreamy and rich. The relaxing quality of Peter's vocal simply melts in with those luscious musical notes, helping us drift off into a peaceful, mossy haven. There's a beautiful visualiser on YouTube to accompany the song, so be sure to check that out. Resurrection (On The Forest Floor) follows in the same vein. The opening is great with electronic swirls before it all swiftly kicks into full rock mode. It's as if we're on a guided tour through the mysterious, subterranean realm that hides right beneath our feet. There's plenty of hooks and melodies throughout this release that simply germinate your consciousness and just grow and grow. Beautiful acoustic guitar peppers the forest canopy as the moodier Coalesce comes through. The dreamy keys are absolutely beautiful. I must say that the drums on this album really stand out for me and this song in particular has a really tasty groove. Up next we have a highlight of the album, Network Of Ghosts. It really helps to pick up the pace of proceedings with its driving rhythm and ridiculously infectious chorus. "A network of ghosts in the undergrowth". Progressive pop perfection! The title track, Velvet Crunch, is the longest song on offer at just over nine minutes. It builds slowly and ominously with an interesting groove and we are treated to some beautiful guitar work before the vocals kick in. Picking up pace in the latter half of the song, it opens up in glorious, anthemic fashion. Another standout track for me is Prophets Of Decay. Opening with drums straight out of the Phil Collins songbook and completed by an atmospheric guitar solo, it pulsates its way into our ear canals with chanted, tribal energy. The song is elevated by some additional keyboard textures provided by Cheryl Stringall, which always add an extra touch of class to proceedings. The ambient opening section of The Touch And Timing Of The Sun signals the beginning of the end to this musical journey. There is a lot going on in this piece, but the drums really hit hard. The music builds up and up with lots of cinematic flare, ending the album in dramatic style. It's another beautiful album from this impressive team of creative minds. They have certainly provided us with a concise collection of well crafted songs and it's a worthy addition to their catalogue. As always, I look forward to their next release. ****+ Rickalonius Monk Where to buy? |
