Soundatlas (NL/UK)

Soundatlas is a progressive rock project by Marc Volgers (guitars, bass, programming). Jinian Wilde (David Cross Band) is on vocals and Tom Rice on drums. Marc aims to write complex, yet catchy songs. The style can be described as prog with elements of metal, borrowing from all kinds of genres.

Soundatlas has serious plans to release an album, called The Cartographer. It's an ambitious album about someone who wants to map out the universe. This is an impossible task, and the journey is actually a metaphor for personal growth.

The songs are written and one of the songs is recorded with Jin and Tom. This song, An Absurd Idea, introduces the story of the album and is a good showcase what you can expect. It has odd time signatures, a catchy chorus, a crazy middle section. The song can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvNkQy2zusE

Now releasing an album costs money. The plan is to start crowdfunding the album by the end of April. If you want to stay updated, sign up on the pre-launch page:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/--3203925/coming_soon/x/3008215

Project site: https://www.soundatlas.nl

Edited by the_cartographer - 11 hours 52 minutes ago at 06:35

^ Listened to 'An Absurd Idea' on YouTube, and it sounds like ideal material for inclusion in our Crossover Prog sub genre. Keep us informed regarding the progress towards the launch of the full album, and as soon as it's released we'll evaluate your project for inclusion here.

Crossover Prog is a term that I believe was originally created by some of the early collaborators of this site, specifically for the purpose of categorising music on PA, and has gradually found its way into more general use over the years.

I would never try to define Crossover Prog myself, since I played no part in creating the term, but I do understand what they were trying to do when those early collaborators dreamt the term up.

The official PA definition of Crossover Prog can be found here: https://www.progarchives.com/subgenre.asp?style=3, and reads thus:

Crossover Prog contains progressive rock music that, though 100% progressive, may have a musical connection to popular music-- whether it be the lack of emphasis on extended compositions, or an influence from mainstream music in addition to classical, jazz and folk. Compositions, however, still exhibit a high degree of sophistication, sometimes outright complexity, and the musicianship and virtuosity is often on a par with established Prog acts. Much like their kin in the established prog sub-genres, these groups will incorporate many major parts of what defines prog rock: the fusing of rock with the structures and discipline of more traditional musics, the use of synthesizers and new technologies, intelligent thematics, and the expansion of the form.

The defining characteristics of Crossover Prog are a pop music influence that is largely vacant in typical prog rock. Songs tend toward shorter, more concise presentations though still reach beyond the typical verse, bridge, chorus pattern. The harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic structures may be more easily digested in Crossover while not losing the musical integrity that a prog listener expects. Whereas Prog Related bands are generally commercial groups with certain prog elements or players that were involved in prog acts, Crossover Prog artists are predominantly progressive with elements of popular music.

Not everybody agrees with the PA policy of trying to pigeonhole every artist into one specific sub genre, since the music of a good many artists is quite variable, and doesn't easily fit into one single sub genre as defined here on PA. However, we're stuck with this system of doing things now, so we have to adapt to its limitations as best we can.