THE SPACE BETWEEN US

I haven't heard the Karfagen's debut yet, and reading the reviews to this album, it seems that it failed to raise the same enthusiasm of the first. I've seen comments about the strong newage flavor that it has, and the influence from CAMEL and ALAN PARSONS PROJECT.

What I have heard, instead, is a touch of PAT METHENY GROUP in the most jazzy parts, in the vain of "Still Life Talking".

Lot of clean guitar, contaminated sometimes by George Katunin's flutes which add a bit of classical mood. Honestly, I can't hear any CAMEL which I absolutely don't dislike. I enjoy the complexity of a track like "The Othe Side", containing a good piano, jazzy guitars, flute, keyboard and different themes alternating continuously. It's just a pity that it fades out instead of having a proper end (sorry for the spoiler).

Several tracks feature choirs without words, as in the mentioned Metheny's album. An exception is made by "The Dream Master" where the piano solo parts seem inspired by KEITH EMERSON, especially when there's a sort of connection to Gershwin. An applause to the pianist.

It's on "Labyrinth" that I can hear some newage. The soundscape has brought YANNI back to my mind. I've listened to a lot of newage music in the early 90s when apparently prog had faded out and if one wanted long instrumental suites, that was the main source. The Greek keyboardist Yanni was one of my favorites.

A bit of early GENESIS, or even CAMEL on the "Kingfsher and Dragonflies" and on "Mind Games". This second is mainly an intro to the following title track, featuring two electric guitars dueting with keyboards. I think nobody can say that this track is not prog. It features the Metheny like choirs again, but I wouldn't be surprised hearing a track like this in a CAMEL album, including the sea at the end kike on Harbour of Tears. Luckily few seconds, not the 15 minutes filler on the CAMEL's album.

In the end, this is an enjoyable album, far from being a masterpiece, but surely not a waste of time or money. Three solid stars from here.