INSOMNIA

Cuban sympho-rock Dream Team got quite a bit of recognition due to their amazing albums "Jagannath Orbit", "The Way", "The Lamplighter" and "I, me, myself". However, their recent album "Insomnia" confused many fans of the band. It is very unexpected and different to the previous ones. It received very small attention and recognition among the progrock fans. At the same time I discussed opinion on "Insomnia" with a number of Anima Mundi fans and was surprised that they love the album as much as I do.

My favorite albums were "Jagannath Orbit" and "The Way". "We are the light" and "Spring knocks on the door of men" are among my 20 favorite contemporary progressive rock pieces. They are in a good vein of Yes, Wakeman, Tchaikovskiy and Borodin, with magnificent keyboard pads, synth passages and great guitar solos ? soaring in the space or penetrating the listener. Sorry to say but my favorite Anima Mundi singer is still Carlos Sosa.

However, if the previous albums should be commented as "We are the Light", then the "Insomnia" can be commented as "We are the Dark". My beloved pieces from the previous albums were magically and calmly developing, while the "Citadel" grabs you hard and drags you along. "Insomnia" is a great album of matured composers and musicians! Yes, it is dark and very bold. One should have strong guts to turn the band in the totally different direction ? towards more spacious, psychedelic, fusion, jazz rocky atmosphere. To my opinion - "Insomnia" is a great concept album with sometimes "Canterbury" moods and sometimes modern and avantgardish turns. In "The Wheel of Days" one might recognize great reminiscences of Miles Davis.

The skill of magnificent playing by Virginia Pereza on keyboards and Roberto Diaz on electric and acoustic guitars is still impressive. Yaroski Corredera on bass and Marco Alonso on drums (and great saxophone) even increased their skill and reached impressive sound. By the way, Aivis Prieto made a good job in the album as well, his voice is nicely fitting the concept of the album while singing complicated and sometimes weird melodies.

Compared to the previous albums the "Insomnia" does not "impress you during the first listen", however I wanted to listen to it again and again. I'm not sure that Anima Mundi will further follow the direction of "Insomnia", but am absolutely sure that further on they will reach another level of music. They already did! And it was very brave and unexpected experiment. Life around us is not that bright and funny, and life of progressive rock musicians (especially in Cuba) is not funny at all. To my opinion this album is worth to be rated 4,5 stars, however due to the unexpected and bold decision to produce it I will rate it with 5 stars.

Keyboard Crazy

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