Prog Critique – Translation
(4.7 out of 5)/Sunn Creative
Tony Lowe continues in an intensely creative vein, as he delivers his brand-new ESP Project album, ‘Silver Waves ~ Astral Dreams’. The master of melodic prog introduces us to the voice of Louise Browne (*). After the surprising, orchestral ‘Reverie’ album which was unusual in Tony Lowe’s discography, it is interesting to see where the English multi-instrumentalist will take us.
“Curious Dreamer – The Dreaming Field” sets the tone for what seems to be a return to melodic prog. Dark atmosphere and bass thrusts introduce us to the calm and airy voice of Louise Browne who easily dominates the sound mass. A beautiful melody of Celtic essence takes us to an instrumental bridge where everything suddenly accelerates: groove bass, jazz-rock organ, and grandiose music.
“Silver Waves” the first ballad with a rather slow tempo and melancholic music, before a break where once again everything picks up speed and the vocal becomes more whispered than sung – a ‘Propaganda’ atmosphere, for those who remember this excellent German new wave group from the 80s.
There’s no English progressive rock without a pastoral touch at one point or another. Here is “Glorious Persuasion”, a little gem of bucolic poetry, like in the best work of Barclay James Harvest. The second part does not deviate from what was already observed for the first tracks: acceleration and change of atmosphere to find this new wave electro style that I mentioned above. “Higher Inspiration – It Wasn’t a Dream”, here we reverse things: first a fast and luminous allegro, then a slow ballad to finish, no less luminous by the way.
“Shine” begins in electronic mists pierced by a few bursts of guitar, before letting the singer lull us with a new superbly melancholic melody. “The Brightest Star” returns to a pastoral touch. Nothing too complicated here, simply a beautiful song, with as always, a sophisticated instrumental accompaniment. “Life Pod” gives us an instrumental: a quick bass ostinato, the organ timidly takes its chance with a few traits, the sound intensifies, and the guitar joins in. To finish, romanticism is in order and “Love Returns” offers us a new melody that comes out of nowhere, if not from the heights!
What more can be said about Silver Waves ~ Astral Dreams, except that Tony Lowe and his musicians (Louise Browne, Steve Gee, Paul Simon, Cheryl Stringall) make it a very high level melodic progressive rock album!
(*) https://www.louisebrownemusic.com/
(*) https://esp-prog.bandcamp.com/album/silver-waves-astral-dreams
Group formation
Tony Lowe: guitars, keyboards, drum programming – With: – Louise Browne: vocals – – Steve Gee: bass (6,7) – – Paul Simon: percussion (1ii,4ii) – – Cheryl Stringall: string layers (6,7)