Four not-too-long instrumentals from the continent

Wigwam "Pig Storm"

My all-time favourite album by Finnish band Wigwam has always been "Nuclear Nightclub." That somewhat underrated album from 1975—often accused of being Wigwam's commercialization—features Pembroke in the main role, possibly at his best, and I think the band does a really good job. Particular emphasis is paid to Pekka Rechardt's guitar, especially in "Pig Storm," the album's closing instrumental that the guitarist wrote. This one has a heavier guitar sound with a shuffling rhythm. There's still that freshness.

SBB "Xeni"

The Polish band SBB recorded "Xeni" in 1975, but this beautiful instrumental was released only on the "Nowy Horyzont" CD reissue as a bonus track. It features a midtempo, Antymos Apostolis's emotionally played guitar parts, and some nice keyboard ambient-like sounds delivered by Jerzy Piotrowsk. "Xeni" is an incredible instrumental that sounds fresh even today. Actually, it was recorded live on Polish Radio Gdańsk.

Smak "Maht Tema"

"Maht Tema," when translated from Serbian to English, would mean "Maht Thread." This instrumental is from the last album in the 1970s trilogy by the Serbian band Smak (English: "The End of the World"). "Maht" is a fictional character of divine nature that sometimes appears in the titles of the band's instrumentals. Here you can hear jazzy yet at the same time somewhat symphonic instrumental progressive rock that is enjoyable as it sounds so dreamy, haunting, and mysterious, with a touch of the beauty of Točak's electric guitar playing. One of the better tracks on the album from 1978. It may not be as "technical" as the instrumentals from the previous two albums, but it has its own special atmosphere, magic, and emotion.