OCTOPIE

Finnish group Octopie have released one album and one EP- in this unusual order. I haven't yet heard Fresh From The Oven (2012), but hopefully I'll be able to return to that some day. This EP is just under 27 minutes long but definitely worth each minute. For me the less enjoyable factor are the vocals which are a bit over the top, a cross between Robert Smith of The Cure and the US prog band Relayer in their passionate wailing. However the music is strong enough not to be ruined by vocals. And in fact they fit there pretty well. Strong, dramatic, exciting, original - these adjectives come to my mind of this music.

The sound is quite hard rocking, especially in the last song 'It's Time' (for some reason not printed on the back cover) which is the most guitar-oriented and ballsiest track. In 'Departed' the delicious, Tull- reminding flute blends wonderfully with the folky retro prog sound. The mostly instrumental latter half of it is mesmerizing. Slightly slower 'Moths Pt 2' also has a vintage feel. In just seven minutes Octopie manage to include more - from beautiful sound texture to emotional singing to soaring soli, etc - than an average band might luckily reach in double length, and yet the track never feels overloaded. This is retro-style modern prog nearly at its best! A well stirred cocktail of Camel, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and cocky hard rock could sound something like this, not forgetting the brave, eclectic progressivity.

'Empty Pages' has a hint of blues & funk flavour occasionally, but most of all it's an emotional prog semi-ballad. Even with some things less up to my taste (the vocals, some over-dramatic or ballsy moments) I can say this is probably the best EP I have heard.