DANCING IN LIMBO

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QUANTUM FANTAY are dancing in limbo right here while playing with track names respectively times en passant. Whereas the limbo bar is lowered during the course, something quite essential in order to keep things in suspense, the track lengths are slightly increasing though - for one second again and again exactly. Well, this smells like a concept. Concerning the line-up there's a minor change to state on guitar, yet Tom Tas is aboard, substituting Dario Frodo, who at least guests on one track though.

QUANTUM FANTAY surely are a flagship when it comes to groovy space rock music, Pete Mush's synthesizer work comes exemplary overall. And, yeah, Ed Wynne is involved here too, which vehemently points to the album's musical essence. Therefore this album is made of spacey stuff as usual, in the vein of Ozric Tentacles, Mantric Muse, Tidal Flood, Hidria Spacefolk and similar. A proper formula indeed, designated band fans will be delighted again, also since Sla (Karel Slabbaert) is one of the party once more with his flute.

Where the last three album songs are more from a decent attitude, the opener Nimbo immediately hit me like a storm. Probably the most inspired song I've heard from them by now. Due to what? ... eh, maybe it's the constantly alternating tempo and mood, or just also taking the dub drenched parts into account, alternatively the magnificent rhythm as well as soloing guitar. A perfect tune they can be proud of. Would be nice to know which band member finally could limbo under the bar at best.

Belgian band QUANTUM FANTAY was formed in 2004 by Pete Mush and Jaro, and has been an active band unit ever since. They released their debut album in 2005, and since then, half a dozen studio albums and a couple of live albums have appeared. "Dancing in Limbo" is their latest studio album, released in the fall of 2015 by the German label Progressive Promotion Records.

Instrumental space rock with a strong feeling of improvised features and a liberal array of nods towards musical styles outside of the purebred progressive rock spectrum is what Quantum Fantay provides us on their latest CD "Dancing in Limbo". They draw upon the legacy and foundation established by Ozric Tentacles in a compelling and rather appealing manner, and come across as a band that should have a strong appeal among those who treasure the sound of the Ozrics and other artists exploring similar and related musical territories first and foremost.

Formed in Belgium, colourful and dynamic psych/space-rockers Quantum Fantay have been playing their mix of instrumental prog, psychedelic and electronic rock with ethnic flavours and eclectic textures for over a decade now. Very much influenced by the Ozric Tentacles (with just a little pinch of Hawkwind) and comparable to other modern groups such as Mantric Muse, Hidria Spacefolk and Korai Orom, `Dancing in Limbo' is their sixth studio album that sees the group experimenting with consistently longer pieces for the first time, the four works on offer each running just over eleven minutes each for a welcome vinyl-length disc.

Truthfully the lengthier workouts here are really just made up of the little fragments that dart in all directions the band usually offers, but here they weave from one through the other with a cohesion and perfect sense of flow that means the longer twists and turns are a natural extension for the band. Far from being a mere clone band of the Ozrics that the group is sometimes dismissed as being, Quantum Fantay isn't adverse to including symphonic passages, heavier blasts and darker, more dramatic moods here as well, directions never really explored by `that other band'!

But nonetheless, opener `Nimbo' is easily the most overtly Ozrics-flavoured moment with plenty of looping electronic trickles, bubbling liquid synth gurgles, gentle flute drifts, up-tempo driving guitar alongside fiery drum bursts and skittering ska saunters all heading in a dozen directions. Ironically, Ed Wynne of the Ozric Tentacles guests on the second track `Rimbo', offering his usual phasing electric guitar soloing and some choice glissando moments, but the piece diverts quite significantly from the template of that group. A bombastic symphonic theme drifts in and out of the piece soaring over gliding synth breezes, and a foot-tapping beat charging the piece ever forwards brings endless empowering strength to the tune, with an addictive and dreamy middle-eastern flecked finale over dancing chiming keys.

Frequently victorious themes drift in and out of the up-tempo and propulsive `Cacimbo', a gutsy piece full of constant stomping momentum, overloaded with mysterious and pretty synth trills, sweetly pulsing bass, fiery electric guitar with some lovely reverberating fuzzy distorted delay and heavy grunting bursts, reflective gentle flute tranquillity and sly reggae ventures all thrown into the psychedelic stew. Closer `Limbo' is more of a slow-build, synths rising with a dramatic symphonic, almost orchestral grandiosity over dusty eastern textures grafted to the twisting guitar bite, drifting flute and an abundance of fizzing electronic breakdowns.

Quantum Fantay deliver exciting instrumental space-rock, always unpredictable and exotic, full of colour and energy whilst remaining endlessly melodic, and `Dancing in Limbo' is their strongest album to date.

Four stars.

Quantum Fantay's 2015 album was interesting in quite a few respects. Firstly, they had a new guitarist in Tom Tas, and secondly, they had used more guest musicians than previously, one of whom was Ed Wynne! Given that these guys have been more than a little influenced by the mighty Ozrics that is a huge compliment to what they are doing. Lastly, instead of a series of songs of different lengths we are this time treated to four songs that are all basically 11:15 long. I hate to think just how many albums I have listened to over the years, but I am sure that is a first for me, as bands tend to have the songs as long as they need to be as opposed to attempting to keep them to a particular length (apart from the old days when they had to be three minutes or less to be played on the radio).

This album takes a more direct approach than the previous one, with a more rock approach and less folk, but still with plenty of swirling keyboards and space rock stylings. Its straightforward approach means that this is instantly appealing, and there is less thinking to do with this music, just let your ears open up and then drown in the sensations. Yet again this is indispensable for anyone into space rock in general and the Ozrics in particular.