EXPERIMENTAL Q: AMINTIRI DESPRE VIITOR

Possibly the most well kept secret of the Eastern Europe progressive rock scene (with no wondering surprise for other to surface up, still) is with no doubt the enigmatic group Experimental Q from the city of Cluj in Romania. To set things in order, this is not a compilation, but their very first original seventies recorded material intended for a LP production, postponed and forgotten and never released until 2021. So, for the factual fairness, here we have a valuable cultural restitution of that era. This was until now a wishful thinking of those who remember the past.

As well as it is a Canterbury scene, a kraut particular style and a more scented romantic genre R.P.I. one, progressive music from Eastern Europe could have had its particular sound in the area of the progressive music, with bands like Czechoslovakian "Collegium Musicum" or "Fermata", USSR's "Arsenal" or "Acvarium", or the Polish "SBB", "Ossian" or "Laboratorium", Hungarian "Syrius", along with the already known Romanian "Phoenix", "Sfinx", "Celelalte Cuvinte" or "Progresiv TM", and now "Experimental Q". If for a better promotion and the interest from the local production, music of this part of Europe could be very well a particular land mark for the cult of the pop music with an intellectual foundation. Its particularity may reside in the blend of the well known western genre influences of the kind with a local melancholy touch or ethnic inspiration at some point, altogether with the exoticism of an unknown language sound when lyrics sung in that typical language. This is why some will perceive Experimental Q closer to RPI movement as Romanian language is a Latin based one, nevertheless we can hear only one piece (Flori) with a smooth slippery olive oil Mediterranean vocal timbre on this album.

The title of the album, "Amintiri despre viitor", could possibly be much better translated into English as "Remember the Future". By the time when, the mostly instrumental pieces, were created, the bestseller book of Erich von Däniken, "Chariots of the Gods", was published in Romania under the title translated as "Amintiri despre viitor", a translation closer to the one in Portuguese edition as "Recuerdos del future". The success of that book made a lot to be inspired and become dreaming creative relied on the thematic of the book. I have no doubt that the young musicians were thinking a lot about that, as Nektar did as well on the same period of time when titled their concept album "Remember the Future" (1973) as so. A reference to this album may as well be considered for some musical similarities with it as well.

Musically speaking, Experimental Q brings a refreshing and very original sound nevertheless. Hints of Classic Baroque, plenty of jazz touches, energetic pure rock, all wrapped up in a well defined novelty prog sound would describe their music. The craftsmanship of the compositions is perfect and the artistry coat reveals a very well trained musicians in terms of technical details and a fitting perfectly matrix together when swinging. Each player instrument in the band proves strong personalities as musicians with fair room for each to express themselves. Eugen Tunariu's keyboards can be very classical and jazzy at times, Valentin Farcaș's guitar could be gentle and flamboyant as well, Nicolae Bocaciu's bass easily sustains and leads different rhythms, Nicolae Delioran's drums lays a sustainable carpet sound with colorful nuances when needed, and Gheorghe Marcovici's flute can be soft and romantic as Debussy's "Girl with Flaxen Hair" to Roland Kirk's chaotic vocal flute style playing. Altogether a great pleasure listening to the whole record from start to end. Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection - 4 stars