There is nothing I admire more than an artist that does his thing, without any pomp or circumstance, no hint of big machinery and any corporate funding behind him, staying on course with steady releases. Master multi-instrumentalist Philippe Ogier is now up to the magic #7 in his discography, and I am proud to have them all! As the title may imply, the general mood is mellow and rather upbeat yet littered with a large swath of glittering instrumentals decorations that cannot go unnoticed. Philippe offers up a nine-track menu that deserves to be enjoyed in one fall swoop, as opposed to cherry picking specific titles, as the overall quality is highly balanced.
Three sizeable pieces launch the adventure, gently paddling the musical canoe in still waters as depicted on the cover art, “All Ears” embarking on a rollicking ride, with a shiny electric guitar that leads the other instruments, acting like a forceful rudder in expressing the temperament of the arrangement, with organ, e-piano, bass and athletic programming rowing away in complete harmony. While the axe takes overall command, it really provides a wide array of freedom for assorted interventions that cannot help but impress. “Find the Way” maintains the course, navigating a cruising attitude that introduces vocals for the first time, Phog completing the transition to a more homogenous sound palette. His singing is certainly not earthshattering but that is not the intention, as telling a story remains paramount. The succinct guitar flutter is purposefully magical, underpinning the primary melody with liquid notes, as well as inserting enough variations and transitions to keep the attention span alive and kicking. Staying the course on “Long Straight Line”, the bluesy Camel-like feel becomes apparent, well supported by the rhythmic lilt, and a rolling organ foundation that shifts the arrangement into another level, though remaining intensely linear.
The next three shorter tracks offer up a selection of more playful opportunities such as the catty “Tit for Tat”, owner of a quasi-medieval feel, a forthright bass cavorting with loads of nimble synthesizer twirls, a fluctuating feel that is immensely addictive. The ‘Tat’ part finale is eminently more muscular and pugnacious, much to our collective listening pleasure. Serving as an intermezzo, “Northern Sky” shoves the bass into the heavens, pulling the guitars along for the ride, an astral distraction, flush with starry-eyed beauty and a sense of magnitude. The title track complements this section perfectly with an upbeat romp, a vocal reestablishing its presence in a somewhat heated mode, burly bass, rhythmic choppiness colliding with redolent e-piano colorations, inviting in a ray of sunshine into our currently darkening times.
“Road & Trip” rejoins the previous mood on “Long Straight Line”, Phog also obviously influenced by the Dutch masters Focus, the tone of his electric guitar recalling Jan Akkerman’s glittering jazzy style, while the underlying organ work winking at the yodelling genius. The lyrical has a slight early Santana feel towards the end that caught my attention.
“Forest Echoes” is the killer track here, forcefully bolstered by a bickering bass assault that shows little mercy, as the core melody is highlighted by both guitar and keyboard interplay, interpreting the title subtly. The ukulele makes a startling appearance, tingling and clanging with resounding effect. The flute also shows up, adding its own serenity to the mix. Well-played! This could have been a long-lost early Genesis instrumental.
A final epic, the nearly 10-minute voyage on “Shadow of Memory” appears like a colossal exhibition of atmospheric delight, acting like a summary piece that would encapsulate the entire release, showing both its varied colours as well as the passionate eloquence of melodic prog. It’s not about complex time signatures, endlessly shifting twists and turns, extended solo spotlights but rather creating a time and a space for a feeling to settle in and take root. The variations are subtle, elevating the passion where required without endangering the ears, as depicted by the lush acoustic interventions.
Another high-quality trophy in the Phog pantheon, an artist that fully defines the purity of design and the love of personality in art.
4 Fading Illuminations