DIRECTIONS

Arild Broter again succeeds in producing an excellent sympho-progressive release, which shows a remarkable stuff. Although instrumental offering, 'Directions' have enough variation between its six pieces to hold the listener's attention. There are multiple time changes while the music varies from the mellow passages to impressive riffing, allowing the individual tracks to create their own emotions and character. All compositions have interesting layers, complex passages and deep structure. The content is really accessible with lots of atmosphere. Every spin can add gentle nuances, particularly from the keyboards that ebb and flow or strong percussion mantle. Subtlety is the name of such game. Since Arild Broter has a deep love for progressive rock of the Golden 70's era (Genesis, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Camel, ELP, UK, Focus etc), influences are heavily stamped over 'Directions'. This release is dedicated to musical legends... PYMLICO is primarily a solo project, but some guest musicians display their melodic interactions. The production is clear to allow all contributions to be heard. For further information, check out the new official website.

"Compliments of Sharkey" is, if I am not mistaken, a tribute to the exalted world of E.P. Jacobs, a Euro-cartoon icon, famed for his "Adventures of Blake and Mortimer" series. Sharkey was adjutant to Colonel Olrik, the nasty fiend and nemesis to both Francis Blake of SIS and Professor Philip Mortimer. If so, putting the exhilarating pseudo sci-fi anti-hero as a platform for some rollicking prog is quite an original twist, waltz or fandango. Fittingly the mood is pulsating, grandiose and epic, a Norwegian one-man instrumental show led by Arild Broter and some family and friends. Arild is a professional live drummer (Lucifer Was), so the beat is a non-worry issue. Fun beginnings but one would never expect a stellar follow-up track and the 14 minute + "Heroes" (referring again to Blake and Mortimer?) is as fabulous as instrumental prog can get, an expedition of monumental sound where everything fits superbly, gorgeous synthesizers painting the fjord-lit night sky, interweaving melodies and evocative arrangements that span the spectrum, from idyllic pastoral beauty where the flute section seems straight out of Hostsonaten's Springsongs, to more typical guitar-led symphonics that ignite images of mellow proggers Camel, David Minasian, The Inner Road, Odyssice and Trion. The term "beautiful" sums it up quite succinctly, the lead axe crying out in utter ecstasy, uniting with a long extended synth solo that parallels the main theme, massive and hot mellotron blasts are there in abject support. Another stellar track that is on my current playlist, the classic "Heroes" will provide the listener with many happy returns, as the low-end is well served with some amazing bass playing. Simply splendid piece of music.

How do you follow up with anything remotely listenable after such joyous perfection? Well "The Little Grey Cells" has a more menacing feel, a cinematic power prog piece with a heavy space-rock feel, led by a mammoth bass glide that sets the pace convincingly. The absolute unexpected killer bullet is the steamy and sensual sax solo with a sultry, sweaty and slightly perverse sound that will knock you for a loop! Okay, so how do you follow up that one?

Two 6 minute wonders then appear out of the fjord's mist, much to our listening pleasure. On "R.W." spooky sonar bleeps, fuzzy atmospherics and a diaphanous mood will certainly veer the mood, albeit only temporarily as the ornate piano slowly carves out a melancholic reverie. Dense, almost Floydian soundscapes enter the fray, yeah that big bluesy guitar wail we all know and love, giving some much desired angst to the flow. Its more aggressive companion "2280" is more pulsating, almost like highway driving music, with sashaying rhythmic guitar caresses, bubbly synths pinging and ponging out of sight, all served by a relentless bass and drum propeller. The electric lead screeches with tons of sustain and angry desperation amid an electronic bubble bath that Rick Wright would be drooling over, up there in VCS3 heaven!

'Directions' ends with the mammoth "Regulus", an 18 minute+ affair that should blow your mind, possessing initially a rather quirky James Bond-like cinematographic feel , which then develops into a more conventional symphonic piece with electronic slants, abundant raucous snippets, tons of start and stop techniques, playful experimentation, overt directional interludes that all sort of gel well together. The rowdy bass carves nicely its way through the joyous marimba phase, the sweeping synth passages, the drenched organ sections and whatever else Aril throws in its path, be it steamy sax fury, vaporous space fluttering or dissonant insanity.

Broter has a good handle of creating memorable melodies, a necessary prerequisite for first-rate instrumental music, unless of course one is a fan of minimalistic drone electronica or RIO/Avant-garde sonic dysfunction. Fine addition to any prog collection, especially the fans looking for something off the beaten path.

4.5 Norse Weathervanes

Norwegian project PYMLICO is the creative vehicle of composer and musician Arild Broter, and one he uses to record and release music that falls within the progressive rock category. Pymlico's first album was released in 2011. "Directions" was issued in December 2012 through Broter's own label Spider House Records, and is the second production to be released under the Pymlico moniker.

If you have an affection for progressive rock as it was made back in the 70's, Pymlico has joined the ranks of contemporary bands vying for your attention. Arild Brotner and his colleagues do so by way of an instrumental album of the symphonic kind, with a fair degree of variety in expression and delicately flavored with sounds and effects of a more contemporary nature. An album to seek out if symphonic progressive rock is a style of music you tend to enjoy, and in particular if you prefer the instrumental variety of it.