Karfagan - The Space Between Us


Year of Release: 2007
Label: Unicorn Digital
Catalog Number: UNCR 5041
Format: CD
Total Time: 65:23:00

While the title talks about a gap in understanding and a lack in accessibility, the engaging aspects of these pieces will draw you near. Anybody who enjoys Progressive Rock that's heavily laden in keyboards, this will be your cup of tea.

The music plays like New Age Jazz with scat-like vocals and without any brass. It's reminiscent of Longshot or Ritual. Aside from the standard instruments, a harmonica makes frequent appearance. They also use a lyre and a bayan. Whereas the former shares common ancestry with classical antiquity - a word to the wise - the latter is no more than a glorified accordion.

If you like Moon Safari, but are acceptant of jams; the meandering instrumentals will be intuitive to your ears . For instance, "Temple Of Light" has hooks at every corner. So even when they dig in to gain traction, they don't slow up. You'd think this was drawn by Automan's cursor or designed by Syd Mead for use in the Tron universe.

"The Other Side," however, brushes the borders of Avant-Garde; tapping into Kopecky or Far Corner, yet still keeping their reach. In a way, the invasive nature of this cut is not too unlike an oil derrick or a milkshake with a very long straw. Despite the encroachment, it's desirable to the surrounding crop.

In general, these songs spread their tentacles in many directions. Oftentimes, creeping stems wriggle and inch into The Orient. "Wonder Valleys" is one such example that stands out. Nevertheless, the roots of these wild flowers subsist in Scandinavian soil seed banks -- almost to a point of inundation.

Arguably, the title track mixes all their influences best. Likewise, "Labyrinth" will be many people's favorite due to the glory and wisdom it bestows. "When The Night Falls" deserves notoriety as well since its lithe structure bears weight, and "The Big Outro" is comparable to grabbing that last candy bar as you're checking out.

All in all, this music is both functional and practical. If it were made from physical material, it would be sold at IKEA. In the end, the wall of sound is built from phosphorescent elements; forgoing sticks, stones, and metal for much lighter material.


Tracklisting:
Entering The Gates (1:54) / The Great Circus (5:30) / Temple Of Light (4:57) / The Other Side (5:09) / Sky Of Couple Colors (4:08) / Mass And Illusions (6:40) / The Dream Master (6:40): a) Through A Stream Of Images (Prestissimo) - b) The Sculptor (Maestoso) / Labyrinth (4:44) / Let Go (3:33) / Wonder Valleys (4:21) / Kingfisher And Dragonflies (1:48) / Retrofall (5:21) / Mind Games (1:21) / The Space Between Us (4:17) / When The Night Falls (2:13) / Big Outro (2:41)

Musicians:
Antony Kalugin - keyboards, percussion, vocals, guitars, fxs
Kostya Shepelenko - drums
Sergey Kovalev - harmonica, bayan, vocal
Oleg Polyanksiy - keyboards
Oleg Booklov - electric guitars
Denis Moroz - jazz guitar
Roman Cucherenko - bass
Tim Sobolev - vocal
Georgy Katunin - lyre, flutes
Lena Moscalec - vocal
Oleg Korotaev - occasional nylon guitars
David Todua - electric guitars

Discography:
Continum (2006)
The Space Between Us (2007)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UA

Added: May 4th 2009
Reviewer: Joshua "Prawg Dawg" Turner
Score:
Artist website: www.unicornrecords.com/karfagan.html
Hits: 5214
Language: english

  

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