NEGATIVE ZONE

It takes some time to get there actually. The first three short tracks are totally useless: mostly grotesque (in the ''Grobschnitt'' sense of the term) for both ''Overture'' and ''Cats'', while ''Stack'' is a spacey electronic track with no texture, experimental.

Things get better with ''Don't Sleep'' which can be considered as the first true song from this album. The band is investigating more traditional atmospheres and the tranquil and acoustic start builds up nicely. A gentle piece of aerial music which turns into an ''Echoes'' clone for the closing section (you know, the long sidereal middle part of this gigantic epic).

If you consider that the second leg of this song is pretty decent (even vocals are OK here), you'll have about an idea of this album: here and there some well constructed music, but most of the time it sounds completely chaotic and loose (''Who We Are'').

Almost all songs (except three) are on the very short end (less than three minutes). I'm not saying that long tracks are per se better but at least it allows to develop a little more and it could have avoided to bear some old fashioned tune like ''Farewell'' (I bet you!). It is even more childish than any of the songs from ''Piper''. Floyd were pioneering with ''Piper''. Almost forty years later, ''Negative Zone'' (they opted for this name.) doesn't add any particular flavour even if the second half of a song as ''Fly Away'' is pleasant.

A later Floyd can be appreciated during the second ''long'' track from this album (just over 4'30''). ''Hold Out Your Hand'' is a typical Gilmour oriented song and features a basic structure: acoustic start which ends up into a more ''dynamic'' electric solo. The whole remains mellow but fine though.

Even if this album sounds too much of the same (''Island''), it is excellent for relaxation. So, sit back and tranquilize (''Fairy Tales''). Should there be any future for this band (they are apparently working on a second album), they should maybe concentrate in expanding their own musical ideas or dig more in the direction of the closing and title track.

I don't appreciate this album very much; just average. Five out of ten.

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