SLOW BURN 1

I am not sure whether it was the dark mood of this album, or the amount of work on my plate ("There's too much on your plate", Leo Koperdraat sings on the track Miracle as I write this), but it took me almost 6 months and countless listens to get around to reviewing this album. Does that mean it's a bad album? On the contrary, this is a set of 11 thought out tracks, in the style that we know from Fractal Mirror's previous album Garden of Ghosts.

However, compared to the previous album, there are quite a few differences. Partly because of the lyrics, which deal with the way technology is disrupting our lives - from the internet and smartphones all the way to our large telescopes that makes us learn about the universe. The deep, slow voice of Leo Koperdraat, which has not lost any of it's Steve Kilby likeness, tells what this all does to our minds and our lives, accompanied by his guitar and the ever so well executed drumming of Frank Urbaniak and Ed van Haagen's deep bass and floating keyboard work - and a nice list of guest musicians, including bass players Leopold Blu-Sky and Kenny Bisset Sr, and guitarits/producer Brett Kull (Echolyn).

Playing this album during my evening walks in the dark makes me change moods frequently, in line with the music. From melancholy (Miracle, Embers) to wonder (V838), via sadness (Fading, Embers - where Leo sings "We slowly burn...") back to melancholy on Universal. What makes me happy underneath is the skill with which the compositions are formed. The mix of rock, indie and progressive rock the band claims to create does work well with the lyrics, and the eminent darkness of the lyrics is complemented by wonderful, fitting melodies.

The band has been worrying, also in public, about the low sales, and I can see why - this is not the most complex album to get into musically, but the moodiness may keep people away from it. A shame really, because after these 6 months this is an album I'd like to recommend, for an evening of contemplation every once in a while.

Also published on my blog www.angelosrockorphanage.com

Slow Burn 1, released in March 2016, is Fractal Mirror's 3rd album and has an overarching concept of sorts. It's not a continuing narrative, but could be described as a series of musings on a world-in-flux and the difficulties we all face in adapting to the rate of change. As Yeats put it : "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world"

The Fractal boys concern themselves with lyrical themes involving technology, privacy, identity, alienation, separation, life and legacy. Twenty-first century concerns from a twenty first century band, located as they are in the Netherlands and the U.S.

I'd say their primary musical roots lie with the late sixties psychedelic era, with additional influences from eighties and nineties art-rock. Strong echoes of the late Beatles' style, and the first-wave of post-Fabs. The emphasis is placed unswervingly on memorable melodies, providing a comforting sense of familiarity from the very first listen.

The evocative sounds of the Mellotron feature on practically every song, being employed with great invention rather than simply opting for slow moving epic string textures.

If you're looking for extended instrumental passages or lengthy solos then you've come to the wrong place. In many respects it's as if they've bypassed the seventies altogether, which could either be a strength or a weakness depending on your point of view.

Moving on to deal with some of the songs themselves.

The opening number, "Prelude", is wonderfully cinematic with layered strings & flutes giving way to a slightly world- weary vocal. Choral swells and acoustic guitars continue the melancholy beauty but alas, it's over all too soon. Nice move - leave the listener wanting more.

The next pair of songs appear to be linked lyrically with phrases common to both. Musically we have hints of slowly building emotion, as per "Nights in White Satin", and mid-tempo, mid-eighties Genesis textures.

Another highlight for me is "Embers", which starts with a very similar idea to "I Talk To The Wind", and related lyrical sentiments to Sinfield's "Much confusion, disillusion all around me". The Fractal Mirror song relies on rich backing vocals and a clever arrangement allowing for effective rise and fall before winding up into something gently epic. I was also reminded of XTC's "Books are Burning".

Lead vocalist Leo sings comfortably in a light baritone, with an ever present air of resigned melancholy. The lyrics employ plain, everyday language with topical Americanisms, the language of the internet and the global village. The backing vocals are very cleverly arranged, sometimes reinforcing the lead and acting as effective mood- colouring, or taking contrasting lines to set up attractive counterpoint. For me their harmonies are one of their major strengths.

Listen to the fantastic vocal arrangement on the closing track, "Universal". Hints of CSNY, or World Party perhaps, certainly a kind of sweeping neo-flower power and very effective at provoking an emotional reaction.

Over the course of an hour's music they revisit similar themes, both lyrically and musically, but this is absolutely the right thing to do for the sake of cohesion in a conceptual piece. Classical recapitulation means we view the same themes differently as a result of lessons learned en route.

Penultimate song, "Artifacts", deals with preserving experience for posterity, leaving one's mark on the world perhaps, and conjures images of a technological ossuary. Being and time as someone once said. Musically and melodically there are parallels with the second track, revisiting and preserving in action.

The liner notes feature lavish illustrations with lyrics for each song, reflecting the Mirror's attention to detail.

The strength of the songs, and of the album as a whole, lies with melody, mood and arranging variety. Accessibility of musical and lyrical language, all without compromising their inventiveness.

Psych-pop-art-prog-rock - what's in a name? They're all in there, with their relative proportions being something for the listener to determine.

Highly recommended.