REGENERATOR 3017

The grooviest and most chilled instrumental album of 2014 so far goes to Djam Karet's 30 year anniversary special `Regenerator 3017'! The album instantly sees the eclectic prog band take a completely different turn from 2013's `The Trip', which was one long composition filled with dark-tinged psychedelic atmospheres and deep electronic ambience. By comparison, this album, comprised of seven dreamy instrumentals, truly sounds like a celebration, a relaxed and joyful occasion indeed! That's because it is, it's their seventeenth album in three decades, featuring all of the original band members, so why not grab a party hat and pin the tail on this donkey?! (Disclaimer: This album should never be confused with any negative connotations often placed on donkeys, they are a fine wonderful animal!)

The infectious opener `Prince of the Inland Empire' is a breezy and upbeat cruise, deliriously funky bass and glistening Fender-Rhodes piano runs and lively drumming, but the abrupt fade-out at the end is unforgivable! There's plenty of 70's flavoured jazz/fusion for `Living In The Future Past', with a nice cheeky fat bass strut and jazzy drumming over uneasy Mellotron tension and smooth electric guitar licks. `Desert Varnish' has nice delay- fuelled electric guitar ripples over the most upbeat and pleasing synth/electric piano washes that will wrap their comforting fuzzy arms around you. The piece briefly shoots for deep space and sees the aliens from `The Trip' crashing the party, with droning voices, feedback-driven guitar ruptures and thick maddening bass.

`Wind Pillow' is a quirky and oh-so-lovely duel-Mellotron cloud of sheer bliss, like one of those video game levels where Mario takes to the sky in a raccoon suit! Some tastefully restrained guitar scorching, sighed harmonies and loopy wavering synths. `Lost Dreams' has bluesy mellow Pink Floyd-styled electric guitar soloing with just a touch of reflective wistfulness and a little bit of longing. `Empty House' sees us well and truly lost in the skies, chiming guitar strums, a clipping jazzy beat and scratchy Mellotron as we slowly twirl around the big blue, with some triumphant bass bursts punching through the atmosphere. We break into orbit for the strident and serious `On The Edge of The Moon', late-night contemplative piano and whirring Moog, punchy drumming and a red hot searing guitar solo as we shoot across the sky and re-enter the planet. This perfect album closer also has a nice gentle ethereal build in the middle, victorious choral harmonies and just a trace of seventies Genesis in the mix.

Despite a couple of abrupt endings early on being a bit of a let down, there's not a single disappointing second to be found on this album. Infused by Djam Karet with a love of making glorious, joyous and downright beautiful, lush instrumental music this time around, `Regenerator 3014' is the perfect antidote to a bad day, and sheer musical happiness on a tiny shiny disc!

Five stars.