The German band 'Solar Project', created in the 80s, already have quite a few albums to their credit and 2020 sees the release of their 14th studio recording 'Ghosts Lights'. In the wake of the progressive rock of the 70s, with the first name that comes to mind, 'Pink Floyd', they offer us long developments for this new baby since the album only has 5 compositions, while the previous albums (including the last one dating from 2018 'Utopia') contained only one or two long compositions.
The eponymous title of the album opens the ball with its 16 minutes and takes us in a multi-faceted progressive rock cut into several parts that fit together in a beautiful way : everything begins in a soaring atmosphere with a few notes of piano accompanied by a Hispanic acoustic guitar, then, the vocals make their appearance and after this quiet introduction, starts a catchy part which is a bit of a mix between the lightness of 'Santana' with a very characteristic guitar solo and the hovering side from 'Pink-Floyd' with a saxophone tinged with jazzy tones; the middle of the track offers us a break on the electric guitar which reminds me strongly of the introduction of 'Sorrow' of the 'Floyds' and which serves as an introduction to a new atmospheric part in which the acoustic guitar reappears, then, it is a passage made of sound effects always in a 'Floydien' spirit with an exotic atmosphere with background of tribal percussions leading to two energetic and dancing sections with a new rupture for a final recalling the starting theme with this time a saxophone with felted intonations which delicately ends this long title. The shortest track of the album 'Preay' then takes over with a nonchalant ballad whose tampered vocal lining accentuates the atmospheric side, then, 'On The Run' continues with its more than 10 minutes with, first of all, a felted introduction and always this sensitive interpretation of 'Sandra Baetzel' on the saxophone, then, without transition, an energetic and catchy part with sounds of vintage keyboards takes over with remarkable breaks of intensity with for example the beautiful passage to the flute or the beautiful passages highlighting a rhythm marked by electric instruments and the softness of the piano accompaniment, the finale returning to the softness of the piano accompanied by some 'Floydian' guitar notes. Follows 'Chivry' which still exceeds 10 minutes and, this time it is in a bewitching atmosphere that this title begins with vaporous choirs and a guitar/saxophone accompaniment still very 'Floydian', then the sung part continues in the same register in a marked slow tempo with a keyboards solo with tones straight out of the 70s and finally, without transition, the final changes register for more energy with a faster tempo. The album ends with a more swaying and tormented 'Fen-Fire' but which stays in the general atmospheric lineage and which is certainly the most linear title, the main theme being repeated many times.
In summary, as you will have noticed with the multiples references to the 'Pink-Floyds' in this review, the Germans of 'Solar Project' continue to offer us good atmospheric rock which makes 'Ghost Lights' an album to recommend to all fans of a progressive influenced by that of the 70s... | |
