II

Lucid Planet are a Melbourne-based trio of Michael Box (guitar), Darcy Rank (guitar, synth) and Luke Turner (vocals, bass), alongside guests Chris Cameron (drums & percussion), Jade Alice (backing vocals) and Dan Richardson (flute, didgeridoo). Now we have a bubble with Australia, which means no quarantine, I am going to have to go to Melbourne a lot for work (a real hardship, I love the city), so I am going to have to see if I can catch these guys in concert as this a wonderful album. There is no doubt they have been heavily influenced by Tool, but that is never a bad thing, and have then moved into far more psychedelic areas while also bringing in some feelings of world music with interesting percussion and then of course there is also the didgeridoo (which is used sparingly it must be said).

Darcy took care of the production, and there is nothing about this release to make one think it is an independent from the sound, the musicianship, all the way through to the artwork, which is wonderfully compelling, care of David Faulkner (Mr. Crystalface) who has been working with the band for the last few years. They also have a very professional website with lots of information about the band and the ability to stream all the music. As for the meaning behind the band name, "When looking at the Earth in this way, one could say that it is living and conscious due to the living and conscious beings inhabiting it, working as a collective. With the use of modern technology, the inhabitants of this planet are capable of connecting like neurons in the brain. As far as we know, the Earth is ostensibly the only conscious planet in our universe. But as we sit and observe, a kind of global mind forms. As the planet continues to become more self-aware, perhaps it may reach out to other lucid planets."

"Entrancement" features wonderful percussion, drone, and guitar while Jade's vocals take it in one direction, and then "Organic Hard Drive" is completely different with plucked guitars and birdsong in the introduction which makes me think of a pastoral garden until the band takes it in a far darker and nastier direction altogether. Musically this is all over the place, truly progressing, yet always grounded and feeling very connected to the earth. It is tribal in the same way as Sepultura's 'Roots' while sounding nothing like it. It is prog metal, with the focus very much on the former in its truest sense. It builds and has real presence, growing and becoming all encompassing. Don't believe me? Jump over to the website and check it out as this is a delight from start to end.