SYMPHONICA

Primarily a duo of drums and bass guitar, for this album Ruins is expanded to include two female vocalists and a keyboardist, reworking some earlier tracks with the new faces. The result is something more layered, less chaotic, and certainly more accessible. Thebes becomes almost a classic Magma Zeuhl track, slow, dark and brooding with some shrieky vocals and it is the mellotron which gives it some extra gravitas. The more punky origins are present elsewhere, including on a great version of Graviyaunosch and the added keys takes nothing away from the high standard drumming and bassline. The album title and the addition of a keyboardist makes it fairy obvious what they're aiming for, and Praha in Spring is perhaps the most symphonic in sound, vocals aside it wouldn't sound out of place on a Genesis album. Infect is very different from its original, slowed down to double length and highly Zeuhl with some jazzy jamming in parts. A reinvention/re-evolution of Ruins style (or some might say the first time they've had some!). Having listened to their output in chronological order so far, this is by far their most accessible, and the first I would happily sit all the way through again.