CONSTELLATIONS

A recent discovery of mine, Karda Estra is just the type of music I've been looking for: a kind of mood-setting modern-day chamber music. How much I love oboe and choir anglais and Hackettesque guitar playing is confirmed and affirmed in KE(Richard Wileman)'s music.

I'd been listening to all the streams and samples I could find on ProgArchives, Lala, Lastfm, Amazon, myspace, and iTunes before I bought Constellations, Eve, and The Age of Science and Enlightenment. Of the three, Constellations is my current favorite for its more uplifting moodscapes. Eve unleashes absolutely stunning, beautiful music, only a bit darker. I guess I tend to gravitate to musics that lift me up. Constellations is an album full, however brief that it may be (approx. 45 mins.), of absolute five-star instrumental gems (vocalist IIeesha's voice is here used as another instrument, never articulating words--as far as I can tell). In fact, the cover of a Steve Hackett piece, "Twice Around the Sun" (6:14) (8/10), along with "Hydra" (6:13) (8/10) and "Vela" (9:29) (9/10), are my least favorite songs--and they are all four star songs! The composition and musicianship throughout the album continue to sustain the group's exceedingly high standards. Another thing I love about Karda Estra is that they are behaving quite prolifically--pumping out an album a year for almost fifteen years now. Would that some of our other favorites would so favor us. (Are you listening, Anekdoten? After Crying?)

Five stars for this, a masterpiece of progressive rock music. An album that ranks in my Top 40 Favorites of the Naughties.

Fourth year in the row with another album by Karda Estra, talking about 2003 here and Richard Wileman was this time influenced by six constellations, inspired by myths, astronomy and self-personal experiences.Once more the line-up would get an extension, welcoming cellist Sarah Higgins next to the ordinary choir/instrumental female collaborators of Wileman.The album, simply titled ''Constellations'', was the second of the band on Cyclops.

After the disappointing collaboration with Artemiy Artemiev Karda Estra would get back on track with a flavor already served on the ''Eve'' album and with ''Constellations'' Wileman has fully captured the essence of cinematic music.This album contains some incredibly atmospheres well-hidden within its softness and unvealed through the talented backing band of the main man, featuring strings, flute, sax and English horns.Wileman mostly performs on electric guitars and piano with some background keyboards in the process, the result is some really beautiful spacious, sentimental and Film-related arrangements with romantic preludes and interludes, light acoustic textures, orchestral overtones and a few progressive colors in the vein of STEVE HACKETT, ANTHONY PHILLIPS or GORDON GLITRAP.Ileesha Bailey's angelic, calm voice is just superb and comes as the perfect fit for the relaxed atmosphere of the album.Once more Wileman has avoided to add dynamics, apparently believing that the whole majesty of his music is released via his ethereal, elegant and very gentle arrangements.The scenario talks about six constellations, but the album contains seven tracks, the farewell one actually being a cover on STEVE HACKETT's ''Twice around the sun'' from the ''Darktown'' album, succesful choice that comes as a nice closer to a similar-sounding effort.

Cinematic, orchestral seminal Rock.Alternation between soft acoustic and electric guitars, piano and orchestral instruments, providing some lovely soundscapes.Again, not a work for Kraut Rock fans to say, but for all those admiring the acoustics of cinematic explorations.

This review is part of my attempt to catch up with some of Richard's albums that I missed the first time around for one reason or another, and here we are back in 2003. Within his musical chronology this was the follow-up to his collaboration with Artemiy Artemiev, 'Equilibrium', which is my least favourite of his albums, but really this should be viewed as the follow-up to 2001's 'Eve'. Between the two albums there has been just one change in line-up, with the addition of Sarah Higgins on cello, to add to the violin and viola of Helen Dearnley and Rachel Larkins respectively, and the line-up completed by Caron Hansford (oboe, cor anglais), Zoe King (flute, alto & soprano saxophones), Ileesha Bailey (wordless vocals) and Richard of course providing everything else (classic & electric guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion).

This album epitomises to me just what Karda Estra are all about, providing thought provoking modern classical music that is enthralling, beautiful, poignant and dramatic. Richard is rarely the lead musician, allowing others the opportunity to shine, with the woodwind often taking the melody line. This is an album to fall deep inside of, and then to be carried out along drifting on the currents of melody without any understanding of time or thought. It is simple, with loads of space and plenty of contrast, yet is also complex, with incredibly strong arrangements. One unusual aspect of this album is that there is also a cover version, here of Steve Hackett's 'Twice Around The Sun' where Richard has allowed himself to Karda Estra-ise a song so that it is both true to the original and to his own style. So, fourteen years on I have finally heard another true gem from Richard Wileman.