In the ongoing strife about what is Prog and what isn’t, which for some rabid purists from the Land of Orthodox Labelling has become an obsession verging on 21st Century Schizophrenia, why not escalate the debate by a well-deserved review on an artist that fondles the outer skirt of conventional prog. All India Radio is a Martin Kennedy project , owner of a page on Progarchives (I have glowingly reviewed 2019 ‘s “Eternal”) but rarely mentioned anywhere else. I own 21 of his albums, really need to catch up the review count and thus defy the Prog conformists with added assessments. Too easily dismissed as spacey downtempo dreampop fluff , truth be told that upon deeper exploration (as would befit any kind of space electronic prog), the consistently attractive releases offer a sonic palette that can factually enthuse any prog fan, regardless of their allegiances. Firstly, there is a strong Pink Floyd influence that permeates all his compositions. The big attraction for me personally is the explicit up-front bass guitar foundations on which he develops ambient adventures that are never dull, boring or even overplayed. On a personal note, another quirky characteristic that consolidates my special bond , Martin often releases secondary albums that offer alterations, additions, and demos of a previously released ‘main’ album, just as tasty as the original but with a ‘fresher’ approach which I find delightful. This album is this secondary version of the just released “The Unified Field” and both are different /similar enough to please the most finnicky palate.Unreleased tracks specific to this album are absolutely top notch. I presume “David Lynch” is a hypnotic tribute to the recently departed cinema icon, a brooding stage for a lengthy commentary that really sets the mood for the ensuing medicated sonic ecstasy. The demo version here of “Wisteria” clocks in at 4.23 , while the original is just 35 seconds longer, a cottony promenade with whistling whips of vaporized bliss. Relaxed and deeply introspective, the bass careens with a reverential pace that induces an immediate state of blurred daydreams. “Crystallinity” suggests the same scenario and the same added timing, another ethereal journey into pleasant swaths of velvety meanderings that maintains the soporific buzz.
“Reinvent 1” is another first-timer, a clanging electric guitar now clearly on the horizon, setting the soundscapes with echo-laden percussives, loads of mellotron supremacy and as is always the case with All India Radio, sublime melodic transcendence . Its companion piece “Adore” gets very minimalistic, a phantasmagorical pillow of sound that infuses a certain melancholia, hoisted to an optimum level by a coiling bass guitar that suddenly settles into the deepest recesses of the mind.
Definitely epic sized at 8 minutes+, “The Unified Field” is the central focus of both albums, with slight variations but a common message. Esoteric ambient electronic backsplash, where serene guitar carvings exude both peace and detachment, perhaps even meditation, in an almost Zen-like atmosphere, this is quite the experience in patience, restraint and self reflection. The final third picks up a hint of steam, but ever so longingly, intensely electronic shadows drawing imaginary visions across the widening panorama.
The three tracks that follow are early versions of pieces found on the main album, showcasing the way Martin composes his tracks, essentially getting it right from the first take, only to find an eventual desire for refinement instead of alteration. On Everything That Exists Anywhere”, the majestic rhythm guitar slashes are mellow and pensive, the bass purring in abject concord, the rhythmic pace Mason-esque, and the whole, outright symphonic. “Uplift” is more like an angelic ascension, fluttering wings yearning for celestial elevation and an unhurried determination. “Drifting” as the title clearly suggests, is an otherworldly cosmic glide, where the only passengers are the galactic stars shining brightly. The twangy electric guitar is thoughtfully sedate and the soothing melody both sustainable and attractive. Anti-stress medicine without sounding too new age or ambient, quite the feat and the reason why this artist appeals as much to an old progger like yours truly.
“New” is, well, new! And it is pure electronic shimmer, silent lucidity and meditative self-analysis . It is followed by another unreleased track, “Breaking the Darkness” eventually veers away from the calm and into a cloudier expanse, where slivers of filtering light pierces the monotony, and a massive guitar solo à la David Gilmour illuminates the night sky, all feel and no fuss. Impressive and unexpected.
“The Red Room” is the longer version of the main album’s opener, Martin toying also with track placement, as he is a clever fellow. Set in a simple yet hypnotic configuration, the mood create is hallucinogenic and engrossing, highly melodic and deeply spiritual.
The finale “Tentacles” is another newbie, a fitting curtain dropper to a profound album that acts more like sonic medicine that seems to heal all my worries as soon as I place my headphones and drift far away from the routine. This Tasmanian musician is really one of a kind and I urge all prog fans to give All India Radio a try, fall under its spell, and bask in the effortless glow of musical peace.
4.5 Messages from the vale