During the last 20 years Andy Tillison has utilised a transferring array of most sensible prog ability as his de facto backing band The Tangent. Then again, the practicalities of recording one of the most maximum in-demand musicians within the prog sphere – together with Jonas Reingold, Luke Machin and Steve Roberts – has supposed that the thirteenth album below the Tangent banner has moved clear of what was once dangerously starting to appear to be a settled line-up.
To Observe Polaris is in reality a solo endeavour. The whole lot about it, from idea to paintings, lyrics to manufacturing, each and every notice performed to ultimate combine, is simply Tillison’s paintings. And each and every notice is performed in actual time; no particular visitors, no programming and – as he’s completely emphatic about – no AI!
The principle album is bookended by way of two compositions that resonate in a similar fashion, musically no less than, and make allowance Tillison to discover slightly of jaunty prog pop and a component of hopefulness and light-weight. Opener The North Sky and nearer The Unmarried are constructed on upbeat foundations that recall to mind the directness of tracks just like the band’s A Spark In The Aether.
The North Sky is a high-energy birthday party together with a longer instrumental intro then beautiful, easy but efficient backing vocals, and keyboard and guitar explorations all over the long, extra delicate and spacious heart segment because it builds again to the primary hook.
Tillison has added crucial bankruptcy to The Tangent tale
The shrewdly titled A ‘Like’ In The Darkness takes issues in a reasonably extra introspective route, albeit with a frenetic few minutes in opposition to the tip, that includes Tillison’s use of a virtual wind controller to imitate woodwind. Sultry jazz-tinged The Wonderful Line continues the reflective slant and turns out to hark again to one of the most first couple of albums.
The standard Tangent multipart epic requirement is fulfilled by way of the 20-minute The Anachronism. Opening with an understated synth underpinning some recorded spoken phrase, it explodes into most likely the closest Tillison has ever come to prog steel, interspersed with cool 70s funk traces.
The observe continues on this vein – sections veer from quiet and realizing thru to punky aggression by the use of large musical statements that recall to mind his admitted influences, together with a enormously punchy bass riff that would simply be a Drama-era Chris Squire outtake.
Tillison embarked in this adventure as an experiment, merely to look if it will be imaginable. Now not most effective has he succeeded past expectation, however he’s added crucial bankruptcy to The Tangent tale. It’s an astounding triumph.
To Observe Polaris is on sale now by the use of InsideOut.
