CONTINIUM

Impressive on paper but not completely fulfilling instrumental album that could be called new age influenced (not that there's anything wrong with that.) I can enjoy this at times when I want some background music but it's not interesting enough to me to hold my interest for active listening. Oldfield has an album in this territory called Songs of Distant Earth. I haven't heard that for a while but I seem to remember it sounding a little like this.

There are some very nice moments throughout this album. Some beautiful piano passages, flutes, even some moderately fiery Camelish electric solos. But rarely does it move me or take me to any special place. The musical ideas are just a bit too subtle, the percussion a little pedestrian, the vocals (where they occur) without any real obvious spark. If you like this you should definitely check out the French band XII Alfonso who cover similar territory and do it better in my opinion. The cover and booklet art are spectacular though minimal.

I think it's a good debut album from Unicorn Records that shows much potential and I look forward to hearing a more fully realized package from Karfagen down the road. Good but far from essential.