DISEN GAGE

DISNE GAGE are a dual guitar led four piece, including that rhythm section. They are from Moscow, and truly are big KING CRIMSON fans as the guitarists really come across like Fripp and Belew. This was especially true of their 2004 debut. In the liner notes here they thank John Wetton among others. "...The Reverse May Be True" is album number three, and man if this isn't a home run it's at least a standup triple. Everything about this album is better than their debut in my opinion. My top four on here beats my favourites that were on their opener.

"Landing" at 8 1/2 minutes is a top four. It's track two and this thing smokes at times but there is some variety. Great sound before 4 minutes then the guitar lights it up. "Exyrinx" is an example of the band going into different regions as we get this slow atmospheric sound. A horn over bass and drums and this is melancholic. I like the guitar solo from 2 1/2 minutes to 4 minutes.

"The Parovoz Hitchhikers To Japan" has an upfront bass intro as guitar and drums join in. Some good contrasts on this one. The highlight though is "Ikar's Guide To The Galaxy". We get some killer instrumental workouts until these female vocals in the zeuhl style come ripping in before 2 minutes. Reminds me of the ladies on that BONDAGE FRUIT "II" album. So good! The guitar lights it up before 5 minutes and we get vibes too. Two of the guys use FX as far as some of these sounds go, and no guests are shown.

This album is a blast and I love their humour as well. Highly recommended.

3.5 stars. DISEN GAGE are a four piece from Moscow who formed in 1999. We get two guitarists, bass and drums, but on this their 2004 debut we get some guest sax, percussion and keyboards. These guys have a sense of humour as witnessed by their album and song titles. The debut here is the only one to feature the original lineup with one of the guitarists leaving after this album. Not a bad thing considering the new guitarist has helped this band go into a more original sound, instead of the KING CRIMSON sound that is constant on this one.

This comes across as a tribute to the "Discipline" album. The two guitarists may not be Fripp and Belew but they are amazing. My favourite track is the opener "Solaris" for those spacey sounds we don't get anywhere else on here. Plus the guitars are the most aggressive on this song. Really it's the first three tracks that are my favourites on this album, then I kind of get tired of the "Discipline" vibe. I'm not into the last three songs at all. "Latino" with the Spanish guitar and "Waltz" which is exactly that. Oh yeah they're from Russia.

Lots to like here that's for sure, but lacking originality and a little samey this one. Their 2008 release called "...The Reverse May be True" is the one to get. We still get those KING CRIMSON guitars but more angular stuff on that one, plus it is quite a powerful album. "The Screw-Loose Entertainment" is a very nice start to their careers though.

"Bionika" is the 8th full?length album by Disen Gage, whose "trademark" is the 2008 release "... The Reverse May Be True" - one of the best discs of Russian progressive rock in its entire history. However, it is not worth comparing "Bionics" with the aforementioned disc or any other Disen Gage release - for example, the magnificent penultimate "The Big Adventure" (2019). The Moscow formation, led by guitarist Konstantin Mochalov, tries not to repeat itself, their albums are surprisingly diverse, and it is almost impossible to fit the band's music into some stylistic framework. The reviewed release has a pronounced improvisational "essence", but at the same time it bears little resemblance to such "jam-oriented" albums of the ensemble as "Libertage" (2006) and "Snapshots" (2016) ? there is much more ambient, as well as electronica and noise. The track "Free Prize" is generally closest to two "non?rockish" Disen Gage albums - "Hybrid State" (2017) and "Nature" (2018). A significant part of "Bionika" is a rather monotonous, rhythmic, atmospheric, instrumental (minus spoken words) music that is able to fascinate with the atmosphere and attention to sound delights. Personally, I was pleased and surprised by the work on the organ part in the final "Clap Your Hands". Although "Bionics" hooked less than the aforementioned "... The Reverse May Be True" and "The Big Adventure", I believe that this release is a creative success of Disen Gage; it can be recommended to all fans of experimental improvisational forms of progressive rock at the junction of "guitar" and "electronica". And you can be happy for Mochalov and his colleagues that they continue to move forward, despite all the existing obstacles and restrictions.

It has been way too long since there has been an album from one of my favourite Russian experimental prog bands, but finally, after a gap of four years, they are back with their eighth studio album, 'Bionika'. I have been fortunate to review all of their releases to date, enjoying them all, but yet again we have had a significant change in line-up with only founder member Konstantin Mochalov (guitar) still there from 'The Big Adventure' while Anton Efimov (guitar), who played on some earlier releases has returned, and they have been joined by Daria Solovyeva (beats, synths), and Nikolay Filimonov (bass). Anton was the person who sent me the album to review, but I thought nothing of that as he has sent me many releases by the excellent Addicted label over the years, and he did not tell me he was back on this one.

Apparently, the concept of this album came together in the Bio-Organic Music Lounge at Disen Gage's New Year "corporate party" on 29/12/2021, where Alexei Borisov (Nochnoi Prospect, F.R.U.I.T.S., Astma) brought fellow musicians Eugene Voronovsky (Cisfinitum) and Misha 'MOX' Salnikov and everyone started talking about a collaboration between Disen Gage and these noise/ambient artists (who are all credited on the album cover) to create something which was aligned to the experimental roots from one side, and the ambient from the other. The result is something which is aligned to the band's earlier works as well as feeling closely related to New York's Gridfailure. As with the rest of their works this is not something which can be played in the background but needs to be listened to intently on headphones, is not something which can be fully understood on the first time of playing and will definitely not be to everyone's tastes.

This is abstract, industrial, experimental, with notes and instruments being brought in and out, layers of sound being used to create emotional responses with some being fuzzed and distorted, others being clean and clear. Sometimes it feels as if no-one knows what they are doing, while there can be focussed vision at others, the true reality is that this is music which creates an audio image in our ears which is both compelling and disturbing. Organic, yet with hard edges, this is for people who want to be adventurous and feel that Can and Art Zoyd never pushed hard enough.

Two years after their debut, Disen gage returned with their second album in 2006. With the departure of founder member and guitarist Yury Alaverdyan, the band regrouped and brought in Sergei Bagin as a replacement. The rest of the line-up still being Konstantin Mochalov (guitars, Fx), Nikolai Syrtsev (bass) and Evgeny Kudryashov (drums). It is worth noting that although this line-up stayed together for the next album, 2008's 'The Reverse May Be True', over the years since then only Konstantin has been on every release, but it was this quartet who performed on 2019's 'The Big Adventure'.

With this release the band had taken their King Crimson investigations into new directions, playing with RIO, avant- garde and experimental weirdness which came to fruition more in their later works. This one still contains a considerable amount of guitar at times, yet they are moving through krautrock and other areas to create something which is quite compelling and certainly outside the norm. The one major issue for me with this release is the sound of the snare drum, which is just too high in the mix and detracts and distracts from the proceedings around it. I can cope with the toms being fairly high as their more bass sound provides a good tribal backdrop, but the snare is just too high up and the reverb which has been applied definitely makes it stand out.

That is a real shame as there are sections of this where the experimentation is a delight, taking the listener on different journeys that may be intensely melodic or something filled with anarchy, and one never knows where the adventure is going to culminate. I would probably look to one of their other releases before going to this one, but yet again it is good to have it more freely available.

I missed out on the 2004 debut album by Disen Gage when it came out first time around, but it has now been made available again. This was the only album to feature the original line-up of Yury Alaverdyan (guitar, percussion), Konstantin Mochalov (guitar, keyboards), Nikolai Syrtsev (bass, keyboards, percussion) and Evgeny Kudryashov (drums, percussion), and it is quite different in approach to the style of the band I came across later on. The guitars are incredibly important, with a very strong King Crimson feel to proceedings (especially 'Discipline' era), although there are also moments when it appears that Gilmour has also been a major influence. It is far heavier and straightforward, less experimental than their more recent albums, so much so it is almost like a different band. It must be quite a shock for fans to move from this to 'Hybrid State' as an example, where scientists make music in the course of an experimental procedure, and directly in the lab (the band originally got together when they were students, and followed careers in chemistry).

The label describes the album like this, 'Moscow scientists debut offers a highly concentrated twist on instrumental rock - a musical journey that leads listeners through the entire range of emotions without even needing words.' Don't think they're mad professors, although it would be useful to understand just what they are doing with this highly complex and complicated music as it turns, spins and whirls, with the result that any fan of Fripp is going to love this. The rhythm section is dynamic, and it is often the bass providing the warmth as the guitar interweave and construct strange patterns. Sometimes there is crunch, at others plenty of staccato picking, but it is always intriguing, and one never knows what is going to happen next. This may be very different to the band I came to know, yet is another great example of why in my mind they are one of the top bands to come out of Russia.

DISEN GAGE ​​is a group, then a combination of Russian musicians is happening with their 7th album to agglomerate; jazzy atmospheres pulling the free, festive atmosphere, metal space, Argentine accordion, colorful carnival of sounds and the madness of interlocking sounds. DISEN GAGE ​​is a journey, a great adventure that rout and musical notes of all colors. It is a melting pot of sounds that may at first glance scare as the origins, sounds refer to unique musical styles, strange, staggering and incredibly fresh. I even read here and there "phosphorescent light energy"! It is by definition the "crossover" in the rough! I did not find groups or artists to guide you except perhaps Panzerballett or BREGOVIC,

"Shiroyama" begins with a percussive sound thick, a film strip with metal anthem and cold and some notes of guitar noise for introspective intro. "Adventurers" guitar again and his accordion for a heady air gypsy with at the end a more atmospheric air disorienting to have been added there. Beautiful and innovative, leaving us from boat or in heaven for a few moments. "Chaos Point" comes to a rhythmic nag, trumpet (yet ???). These days artists have given the range for reuse these instruments I thought put in the museum! The bass is fat and heavy, jerky and metronomic drums. It flirts a bit of jazz on the excesses "Red" KING CRIMSON. There is a clean cut with voice yelled death (the only time sung in fact) that brings the ... chaos. Then the piano back to a simpler basis while the saturated guitar again and a quieter end and a title that must be domesticated (personally I spent long moments trying to figure it out). "Enough" with its post-spleen-throbbing atmosphere and guitar echoes as on THE GUITAR ORCHESTRA (album of 91 to have at home) and overloops. On OSI also for the sweet-sliced ​​and hypnotic staccato- voltaic and guitar frippienne remains until the arrival of a clear and melancholic cello supported by a frank battery. Both plotting to release a saturated air and causing the perfect musical oxymoron. "All the Truths Meeting"

Follows a Spanish guitar, a synth accordion for the parade of the marching band. "Selfish tango" hence the name for a tango furious xylophone (I really have heard everything there !!) and where the second air is nervous with guitar energetic, vibrant and synth pads. It's almost hypnotic, frenzied, "crescendique" (yes we have to invent words to try to explain!), Creative on. And the small end as confusing with that look more rhythmic on an electrified waltz. "Carnival escape" the longest and most astonishing part: listen to it and think of James Bond to Ennio Morricone, to "Love Boat" at the carnival in Rio, where the synthetic orchestra did its job for a note festive and especially puzzling to the end with a guitar this time darker. "End" Closing these 46'10 '' with the merger of all their ideas more or less controlled, there are a piano bringing a gentle swirling guitar jazzy, then look more built with a beautiful solemn rise, such a step (Princely or mortuary!). At this point and after a few tens of listening, I began to find it beautiful.

Good conclusion is essential for this album available in digital and CD. At first, one might think to flee as the sounds are disparate both instruments seem distant from the progressive rock. although one is actually on the experimental prog may seem crazy. After reflection and several plays, the themes coalesce to provide a truly progressive patchwork, festive and boisterous. What is most surprising is that this album gives true nobility conventional instruments used, even if it is through programming. The second thing that comes to mind is that there is indeed a musical score in this unclassifiable album to listen, just to unclog ears. The commitment and innovation to their maximum for sentencing.

DISEN GAGE ​​is an association of Russian musicians, Konstantin Mochalov and Anton Efimov happens with their 5th album "Nature" to compose three songs from natural noises. They took as reference a planet, trains and animals. The transcribed sounds have no bass or drums, but sampling of notes spellbinding, creative, electronic, contemplative and anarchic. Openness is almost obligatory to embark on this unique journey and almost unique: it was dark phases, repetitive, of mixing psychedelic atmospheres and natural sounds, we have sound research to the limits of the entendable moments then a more standardized its will restore any continuity under explored. Some QUANTUM Fantay to OZRIC TENTACLES, MIKE OLDFIELD, TANGERINE DREAM in their most adventurous and most dark stage can be detected, Lustmord to the dark side, repetitive and infamous, I'll even look that was the FIRM (International Foundation for Music Research) in its time! In short, both tapped into the space rock in the atmosphere, the noise, experimental, industrial and Vanguard!

"Complex textures, atonal improvisation, rhythms and hard riffs, soft soundscapes, a great sense of melody, outstanding personal skills", this is what I could find rightly on their chronic . I take this phrase to confirm that I am not alone in finding this album purely singular. "Planets" is the title built with sequences of sounds in space or hyper space wrapped in atonal sequences making random monitoring. It is hard to access, easier to swallow the helmet! With a few plays ears starting to detect a rhythm, a frame from theory Jupiter orbits.

"Trains" offers Station sounds about tangled paths, wind in the trains, brakes, winds blowing in the Moscow underground, it's very scary and dreamy: musical sounds are there to arrange and mix everything. "Animals" seems more accessible with more natural sounds, recognizable but equally frightening, dark and austere: wolves, bears, rattlesnakes and other insects are on the menu and many other dismal thing from a marsh Australian! Title not listen alone in the dark except for fun to be scared! These three titles more than 15 minutes each, despite my brief explanation, therefore represent a trip to the archaic music of our good old Earth, at a time when the man appears to be not appeared ... or already extinct; to listen without fear for those who are suffering from a huge spleen; for others, you'll get an unknown film music, a chilling atmosphere Sidereal but not meaningless.

In the presence of Madcap Genius

Here's what i think

The album art shows ancient cave etchings. Superimposed over these priceless representations of elongated, archetypal, bizarre-to-modern-eyes drawings, the band name is scrawled as though graffiti, DISEN GAGE WAS HERE.

It's got an ornate picture frame surrounding a slice of this cave wall, and beneath that tableau, the album title, "The Big Adventure".

The feckless and heedless modern goes on safari, traipsing through scenes and sites that are rendered spiritual by virtue of longevity, solemnity, ritual, and innate beauty- and leave thereon their shallow scratches, taking selfies to send to equally vapid FB "friends", and crowing about their latest exploits.

Lookit me, ain't I grand?

Meanwhile, the Watchers Observe

And here's the genius part. DISENGAGE is certainly a moving target, a collective of amazing musicians pulled into the center, I suspect, of guitarist and founding member Konstantin Mochalov's orbit- the vision and the search for what lasts, has worth, endures, and how to confront the omnipresent idiocy of those who would heedlessly desecrate what they will stubbornly not see.

The vision includes cinema

The album art displays a provocative truth- one culture builds over another builds over another...and so on. The ancient must oftentimes be excavated, one seeming anachronism alongside another. One jarring detail that doesn't fit beside an entire feature.

In this album, the cinematic demonstrates this truth.

On one hand we hear what sounds like absurdist art music, and at another point, spaghetti western crazily spinning away into the distance.

We hear funhouse kaleidoscopes and calliopes, ominous classical chords from a grand piano introducing a theme, only to build...

And damned if nearly every track seems to be building to a fascinating finish only to abruptly end.

Genius I say!

Each musician certainly brings a lot to the table- polished, poised, pristine playing. (And how do you like that alliteration?) But listen! Hear the accordion in its wistful, sweet iterations, the tuba, the trumpets, strings, the jangling dissonances of clean guitar chords in various voicings...

Only to build into slabs of power, walls of sound and majesty, and then to devolve into chaos and clamor. Hmm, sounds a lot like civilizations rising, growing, developing, becoming arrogant, and with predictable hubris, over- reaching, and disappearing.

Furthermore

The instruments are often used in novel and wonderful ways. DISEN GAGE does not seem content to blend in, to copy, to follow trodden paths.

No, rather to innovate, to push, to explore, to grapple with newness, a sort of musical adventure of its own- one that does not desecrate and destroy with casual mindlessness, but instead builds upon the broad shoulders of those who went before.

The guitars will jangle, soar, squawk, and sing. The bass rumbles and harrumphs and wallows like an elephant in a cool pool on a hot day.

And those crisp drums accentuating, developing, massaging the sounds to deepen and broaden and widen the impact.

We hear the herky-jerky ballroom sounds, the ominous and dark space musings, surreal Dali-esque jazz shifting and morphing into lustrous chords only to become Romantic era and then of course a carnival.

Let's bring this to the FIN

Well, for me this is madcap genius writ large. I doubt it's for everyone- what art ever is?

My rating- 4.5 eternal etchings.

Russian band DISEN GAGE have been an going entity for 20 years by now, and probably merits a description as a veteran band at this point. The band has 7 studio albums to their name so far, of which more than half have appeared within the last five years. "The Big Adventure" is the most recent of this, and was released through the nameless [addicted label] in Russia at the start of 2019.

Challenging, eclectic instrumental progressive rock isn't a variety of the music that will ever hit the top of the commercial popularity lists, nor will it ever be in danger of seguing over to a mainstream audience. But those who know and love the more eclectic and expressive variety of instrumental progressive rock should take note of this album, as I suspect many who recognize themselves in such a description will truly appreciate what Disen Gage have to offer on this latest album of theirs.