VLY

Described as being a combination progressive rock, classic rock, folk, early Floydian psychedelia, intimate pop melodies, massive walls of epic guitar riffage, post-classical, post rock and electronic music. It's the diverse background of it's members that led to the breadth of their sound. The progressive sentiment of Italian keyboardist Elisa Montaldo quickly attracted the ear of Karl Demata. She is from the band IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE. "The first time I heard her play I knew we had to be in a band. Her innate melodic approach and instrumental understanding and knowledge of anything prog is simply remarkable." Elisa relates how Karl asked her about joining this band at the very beginning, and that her knowledge of prog was somehow more vintage, seventies Italian to be specific. But after experimenting with the arrangements and sound she found that right balance. She's a pro.

Connecting with strangers and expanding circles of mutual friends became the pattern for VLY. Next Karl brought in fellow CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX member Chris Heilmann on bass. Lastly Karl needed a drummer and who else but Mattias Olsson? Yes lets add Sweden to the mix. Karl talks about Mattias in glowing terms. "He's simply a genius, and he's never predicatable as a drummer. Mattias also contributed some vintage keys and odd analog noises, which have a definite effect on the band's sound." I have no idea why there wasn't a big buzz about this album back in September of 2015 when it was released. This record is gorgeous. I was constantly repeating words like dreamy, spacey and drifting. Very Floyd-like at times but there's that post-rock flavour that the two CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX members here know a lot about.

We get just over an hour of music and twelve tracks. My top four include the opening two numbers and the final two tracks, but this is a consistent recording. I love that all five members met in England just prior to it's release for some photos, and hey, they all finally got to meet physically. Kind of cool. Easily one of the better Floyd-like albums. Keith on vocals really adds a lot. He's in bands like DIET KONG and TYPICAL REPTILES, and while I have not heard either, his voice really works well here. Easily 4 stars.

Vly began as strangers sending music stuff across the Atlantic Ocean. British-based guitarist Karl Demata had a vague idea and a few demos, when a friend put him in touch with New York singer/artist Keith Gladysz. Keith began working on the demos, adding a more melodic, dream-like and decidedly indie sensibility.

The sound of Vly hits elements of progressive rock, classic rock, folk, early-Floydian psychedelia, intimate pop melodies, massive walls of epic guitar riffage, post-classical, post-rock and electronic music. When you listen to Vly music you can find that their vocalism is early pinkfloydish (and so Porcupine Tree as well) oriented, but it's laid down on a magic carpet made of beautiful sounds, unusual harmonics and captivating melodic lines.

Mattias Olsson demonstrates (if someone needed it) that you don't have to show extremely complicated patterns and fills to be a great drummer. While his patterns seem not so difficult, but really effective to grant the right support and power to the music, he plays fills you hardly could listen from another drummer, fully enriched with taste and class.

Elisa Montaldo renews her greatness through her choice of sounds and effects, her inspired backing vocals. She seems to abandon her usual virtuosity to give space to a hearted and rich of sensitivity research of touching registers, dreamy settings and proficient playing.

Karl Demata's guitar moments are enriched with feelings, and solos seem always to be a diamond mounted in the musical structure.

Moreover, all the instrumentalists try their best to make the work homogeneous, well balanced and of undoubted taste.

Though the whole album is high level, my preferred song are the opener 'Circles' and the following 'Time', then the energetic 'Out of the Maze', the hypnotic (really a topic name!) 'Hypnotic', the piano pearl 'Time Remembered', the dramatic 'Message in the Water', down to the last 'Time Forgotten'.

Those who approach to this album looking for Änglagård solemnity, or CBP acidity or also the healthy and opulent ITDC RPI, should rapidly change direction. Even if you can reveal here and there some resemblance with Crippled Black Phoenix (obvious and inevitable), the Vly sound character, certainly due to the different influences of the components, is softer and more melancholic, more oriented to introspection and charming atmospheres.

Even the artwork, totally lacking of musicians photographs, is oriented to let the listener concentrate only on the dreamy atmospheres, the catchy melodies, the introspective lyrics, more than on the images.

At the end of the game, what we usually ask to the Music is to be thrilled when we listen to it. All the rest is an extension. I always fear the worst when friends come back from a music event and say "Great show!"... I'd prefer they'd say: "Great Music... and good show!"

Intense and charming album.. A must to have... and to listen resting in low light or darkness.