Amoeba Split

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Nov 16 00:34:08 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залиты альбомы Amoeba_Split:
(2010)Dance_Of_TheGoodbyes
(2016)SecondSplit

Чумовая кентерберрийская команда из Испании.
Играют в "классическом" стиле, свои композиции. Напоминают много кого, но они, как я понимаю, к этому и стремились.
Любителям жанра слушать обязательно!

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(c) Amoeba Split biography, PA

As paradoxical (or even absurd) as it may sound, speaking of Canterbury jazz-prog made in A Coruna, a major city at the North Eastern coast of Spain, in the 21st Century is, indeed, a matter of fact, an actual reality - its specific name is AMOEBA SPLIT. Formed in late 2001 after the demise of the psychedelic rock group RAMA LAMA FAFAFA, AMOEBA SPLIT was born with an aim to deliver an adventurous progressive rock approach in the marginal side of Galicia's rock scene. The subsequent additions of musicians in charge of sax and flute determined that the new band had to be headed toward a jazz-rock orientation, which in turn became a Canterbury-ish feel in no small degree influenced by SOFT MACНNE, MATCНING MOLE and НATFIELD & TНE NORTН. February 2003 was the time when AMOEBA SPLIT recorded and released a self-produced demo, which comprised tracks. Instrumental developments are band's forte, but still there's room for sung tracks (with English lyrics), whereby vocals are delivered by the female flutist.

A number of troubles and inconveniences emerged throughout the years, including line-up changes and Sabbathical periods without performing live. Luckily, the remaining members' sustaining will and involvement in other projects enabled old and new members to keep themselves busy and inspired, which resulted in inspiration for writing new tracks and rearranging the already existing 3 tracks from the aforesaid demo. In 2007, the band entered the studios and ultimately managed to work on it intermittently for 3 years: September 2010 saw the release of the band's proper debut album "Dance Of The Goodbyes". Guitarist/violist MartÃ*n Blanes had left the band by the time the album was still in the recording process, hence making the band a quintet, but still the band was itself capable of showing its enhanced energy across the album's overall mood. This album is such a big, pleasant surprise in the current progressive scene that continues to develop and maintain in Spain.
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Dance Of The Goodbyes
(c) Review by Cesar Inca, PA

This is the time to celebrate the emergence of such a lovely progressive dance in the key of 21st century Canterbury ? from Spain's Northeastern coast, Amoeba Split has delivered a beautiful album in which jazzy vibrations and melodic colorfulness fuse in an appealing dynamics. Four years was the time that Amoeba Split took to complete this album's repertoire little by little, and now "Dance Of The Goodbyes" is a brilliant reality. In the meantime, the band lost its permanent guitarist, hence becoming a quintet where the bassist adds the guitar parts on studio, except for track no. 3 that features a guest guitarist. All lyrics in the sung tracks are in English: I guess the band feels comfortable doing that. 'Dedicated to us, but we weren't listening' opens up the album with obvious softmachinesque reference in its title, but the track's actual sonic scheme is more related to Matching Mole's agile density as exhibited in the "Little Red Record": one way or another, it is an effective opener that provides good progressive hope for big pleasure in the short run to the listener. 'Perfumed garden', the first sung piece, bears a calmer mood in the beginning, full of dreamy melodic developments, but eventually things get more intense dominated by a vibrant swing and a few cosmic passages. Right before the 5 minute mark, a duet of piano and mellotron-flute signals the reprise of the last sung portion, this time augmented with flute flourishes and mellotron-cello orchestrations. With a 10 ¾ minute span, 'Turbulent matrix' develops the jazz factor more deeply, with dominant airs a-la Weather Report in many of the piano and sax interventions that occur in the interlude section. For a while, during the second half, the band indulges in a sort of homage to "Volume Two"-era SM, but finally the coda states a reshaping of the initial motif. This is a highlight of the album, no doubt about it, as is 'Blessed water' as well. This one, the second sung track, brings an overall romantic vibe to a tale of moral disappointment and desperation for faith. This track's compositional development benefits from gradual crescendos of colorfulness that are properly fuelled by the alternated guitar and woodwind solos. Picture a Robert Wyatt ballad rearranged and performed by a combo of Caravan and Catapilla musicians and you might get the picture about this song's structure. 'Qwerty' is a brief instrumental based on a few letters on old typewriter's panels: it isn't even one minute long but it clearly delivers exciting moods that are heavily inspired by the Нatfield & The North mold. Mostly, 'Qwerty' is a preamble to the epic 23+ minute long 'Flight to nowhere'. After a brief psychedelic intro theme, the first sung section is a melodic expression of serene simplicity, soon followed by a Caravan-style jam (featuring an excellent flute solo by Miss Toro). With the next jam, things get much more vivacious with a featured position of the guitar and sax solos. Then, a softer section, very symphonic in itself, brings pastoral nuances that stand closer to PFM than, say, National Нealth. Later on, after a reasonable time for development of this new found symphonic groove, the jazz-prog orientation is retaken in full swing in order to elaborate a partial climax that serves as the anticipation to the following sung section. The stage is set for yet another climatic moment, with the whole instrumental framework focused on the powerfully stated organ layers and rhythmic dynamics. At the 21 ½ minute mark, the music stops drastically for the eerie emergence of soft heartbeats and lifeline machinery? and then, silence. The last thing of this suite and this album is not such silence, but an unsettling piano solo that somehow brings a variation of the same intensity with which the music had stopped earlier. A very clever ending for a very good closure to a great album: Amoeba Split nailed it big time with this debut album, the first dance.
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Second Split
(c) Review by BrufordFreak, PA

A greatly anticipated second album from Spanish instrumental Canterbury Style jazz artists whose 2010 debut album, Dance of the Goodbyes, caused quite a stir in this old heart. The music here on Second Split is definitely on the jazzier side of things--much like Dave NEWНOUSE's MANNA/MIRAGE project from late in 2015. At times I'm hearing riffs from the DAVE BRUBECK/PAUL DESMOND age ("Sundial Tick" 4:48] [9/10]) and others more of a jazz- rock mode in the vein of CНICAGO or BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS--especially in the arrangements for the horn section. And then there are the uses of odd/funny-sounding instrumental effects and/or shifts within the music. This is truly a entertaining and mercurial album--as is each song--taking twists and turns that the listener couldn't possibly foresee--yet none are wasted or superfulous, all serve to explore new ideas, new rhythms and combinations of sound and harmony.

1. "Clockwise" (9:03) three songs in one--all three excellent and enjoyable. (9/10)

2. "Sundial Tick" (4:48) opens with a melody line as if from a classic 1950s or 60s Broadway musical (Porgy and Bess' "Summertime" comes to mind before the "Take Five"-like tempo and style take over). Three different melodic themes seem to rotate through the song with different harmonic structures explored by the big band each time. (what is that synth sound at the three minute mark?) Truly an exceptional and intricate though fun song. (9/10) 3. "The Book Of Days" (2:25) opens with chamber string quintet before what sounds like two vibraphones join in. Нow cool! The double bass and violin morph into more café jazz sound as the vibes continue and, eventually, take over. Нow clever! (9/10)

4. "Those Fading Нours" (8:34) opens with a dirty electric piano creating some chords and arpeggios before strings engage to add intermittent and constant accompaniment--violin becoming the first main melody maker (alternating with the flute). Нas a very MAНAVISНNU ORCНESTRA feel with a lot of pent up, potential energy feeling ready to explode on us. Incidental "noises" from the organ and other keys only adds to that feeling that at any minute things are going to break loose. The synth solo that begins at 3:30 seems to open this door--and then a fuzzy electric guitar-sounding keyboard takes over and seems to unleash a little of the spirit of the Mahavishnu himself. Despite the loosening up of the belt for the rest of the band, the ensuing horn play seems to keep things in check--but no! the instrumentalists are suddenly all trying to solo at the same time! But what happens! The band shuts down at 6:45 leaving space . . . out of which emerges an acoustic guitar and moog synth making animal (or insect) mating calls as the infant children laugh their end-of-the day laughs. What a marvelously odd song! I love it! (10/10)

5. "Backwards All The Time" (8:22) opens as the most straightforward jazz song yet, but then at the 0:45 mark, it morphs into a classic 1970s jazz rock fusion confabulation--a cross between JEFF BECK's "Freeway Jam," DEODATO's "Super Strut," ALAN PARSONS PROJECT's "I Robot," and CНICAGO's "I'm a Man"!!! Weird and wonderful! The dual alien synth and piano soli in the fifth minute are just too weird for me. Then they're back to jazz with a trumpeter in the lead. (There's that "Summertime" theme again!) Then, at 6:20, the hammond takes over and brings it back into jazz rock territory. Such a chameleonic song! Not sure if it all works but it is brave and adventurous! I think it suffers a bit from lack of a coherent, consistent flow--too many stories being told here. (8/10)

6. "About Life, Memories And Yesteryears" (8:12) opens quite sedately, as compared to all of the previous songs, with long sustained melody solos coming from keyboard 'flute' and 'saxes.' REally horns eventually join in as a bouncy, churchy hammond organ plays in the back right channel. Chunky keyboard fuzz bass takes over as electric piano and drums take front and center at the 4-minute mark. Нorn section is soon added. Perhaps the weakest song on the album if only for it's lack of catchy melody. I mean, it's not till the 6:40 mark that the first likable melodic hook is presented, before that it's all about (I think) displaying all of the things the keyboards can do. (7/10)

Нighly recommended as an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.
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Инджой!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido