TIMELOSS

If Bjork got together with Massive Attack and decided to do a prog-ish album, it would probably be either a big artsy mess or a bit more attention-grabbing than Timeloss. But it might sound a lot like this.

Perhaps that's too harsh. Paatos is definitely an interesting and unique band, with thoughtful melodic inspiration and a good sense of both compositional drama and timbral texture. If they are half as good live, I'd be more than happy to spend a breezy afternoon-to-evening in the park with them. Their moody atmospherics fall somewhere between the illbient and ambient, with more emphasis on climax and resolution. They don't necessarily remind me of any classic prog bands, but there are certainly many little details that put them in the ballpark...and, amazingly, without being too self-consciously & name-droppingly retro.

Some of the songs (Tea, Hypnotique, and the decidedly modern Quits) demonstrate a cathartic and linear build-up, while others (Sensor, They are Beautiful) utilize a more complex structure that keeps you a little more off-balance. Some passages seem a little too short (and possibly interchangeable) and some go on far too long. On the whole, however, the transitions are as organic as their instrumental approach; while certainly layered and textural, this is not a coldly over-processed Steven Wilson affair. Even the immediately identifiable dance-music influence on Quits is presented in an organic context, more in line with the better examples of classic acid jazz & drum-and-bass (Roni Size, Goldie, etc.) than the dreary predictable stuff that was already done to death ten years ago in countless trendy locales and television advertisements. The debate rages on (uh, in an isolated sort of way) about what constitutes Progressive Rock, but I have no doubt that Timeloss will appeal to as many proggers as it will to fans of Trip Hop, Post-Rock, and chill-out music in general. One of the best things about rock-based music in general is its mutability and openness to new combinations of existing and/ or nearly-forgotten styles; as long as there are bands with the level of quality and adventurousness as Paatos, there will still be a reason to keep listening and keep taking chances.