DYSERGY

GOLDEN CAVES is a young Dutch music group. He is releasing his 3rd album here (2nd if we remove an EP whose Cd included a lot of tracks!) On an electronic and atmospheric prog rock style, also a bit alternative in line with the current instilled by their masters THE GATHERING and THE PEOPLE lately I think. When I say THE GATHERING, it is to tell you that the effects of reverberation on the guitar can make you leave in soaring and dreamlike sequences; knowing that they were nominated at the Progressive Awards can also put the ear to the bug. The lyrics speak of the struggles to live outside of external connections which could also be a sign with these 5G waves which can weaken us! A fresh album, let's take a closer look to see what it is all about. "Chromosone" starts the album with a cavernous sound, putting Romy's voice forward, and the slightly raw, slightly chopped instruments set the tone; from the beginning, I think from afar of THE CRANBERRIES on their end, THE HABITANTS, there is atmosphere in there, I also feel a research based on flayed rock, good prog rock in fact. "Dignity" drives the point home, a title that THE GATHERING could have released, it's sweet, it explodes, it's varied, well placed voice, the alternative with drums then basic synth, it's very rhythmic, almost dancing, a sign that PROG is modernizing to the point of changing its values. "Hide & Seek" for a calmer, symphonic, ambient title, a bit about what Anneke could get out, there we feel the origin of culture; the climb is nervous, varied; melancholic break but with a note of freshness, a musical oxymoron often in verve in the progressive compositions of the years 2020 I find; the finale on an explosive crescendo. "Temperature" then rolled out and offered varied and successive developments in 6 minutes with a break in the heavy, unhealthy but also original environment, a little SKUNK ANANSIE and the sound variety well framed by the rhythmic part; the ambient progressive notion is here in order. "How To Care" and its cold genre intro "On Upon a Time in The West" or "The Man with Harmonica" for a slow-tempo song, cold, gothic atmosphere, the icy ballad with repetitive voice ready to freeze the room I'm in. At this time, the progressive drawers develop over listening, interesting in view of the relatively short titles it is true. "Happy Dreams" on a very, too repetitive electric beat which hardly varies but which is saved by an alternative to the piano and by Romy's sensual voice; singular, it's up to you to make your own opinion, the height of making you work there. "Samsara" on a slower tempo again offers a minimal air of interlude with piano and voice, with a programmed rise, a fairly basic song for a progressive fanatic, a more post rock song here and hovering for others. "Little Lonely" leaves on the same influence very gently then rise and break with bass letting the archaic guitar make its frozen solo; we get very close to the sounds of doom or cold wave, a bit of atmospheric metal, a little JOY DIVISION too. "Black Hound" arrives darker, more atmospheric with a rhythm again heavy until the refrain where a guttural voice denotes a little but without excess; the crescendo takes up the developments of THE GATHERING during their beginnings, very good title but there the spleen is gone; violent title even with a deluge of instruments, synth and guitar behind in reverb; an intense title all in relief and with mixture of rhythms. "Somehow" and already the last track with an intro that flirts with LEPROUS, a high voice, an ethereal and hypnotic synth, a piano tune with angelic voices, then osmosis of the genres of the group; I am surprised to notice that the last songs are often not neutral in a prog CD, there is often a digest, a melting pot of many movements gathered and reworked in these last titles; the plaintive guitar solo is well worth being placed there, just asking for a replay, in short a title that sums up the album a bit, a slightly revealing title. A group offering new sound, to follow very closely.