EMKOG SAMPLER

I usually don't care about compilations as well, I don't like Best off's (and honestly, you can't do B-O from something like Pink Floyd or Genesis). However, when Dan Britton (who connects all bands featured here) contacted me to do a review of this samples, I was very pleased, because as much as I despise compilations, I feel completely opposite way for his projects and bands. Or at least those I've heard.

By the way, little quite of someone here and there won't hurt I think, as long as it's sparse and most importantly - in a friendly way.

I'll sort tracks by release date, not with tracklist order:

Music is very different, ranging many styles and is selected from projects spanning 6 years (or 10 years if you want to count the album that has estimated release date on "2010 or later"), so it shows his beginnings as Jazzy/Prog Metal act Cerebus Effect, continuing with Eclectic Deluge Grander (take one), then with two songs from Birds & Buildings masterpiece (probably the best rated of all these albums, including my 5-star rating, well deserved) - killer opening track Birds Flying Into Buildings and then little bit calmer excerpt of this Yucatan 65. Not that much calmer thought.

And then we're in 2009. Aggrandizement, excerpt ( ! - it's 2/3 of entire song, so not your usual excerpt) and sounds closer to Birds & Buildings album than anything else. All Over Everywhere's album is new, this band isn't here yet, but I believe it will, eventually because, as Art of the Earth suggests, it's interesting music. Probably woman vocals backed band. And yes, it's the one who did vocals on fifth track on "Bantam to Behemoth", lovely voice of Megan Wheatley. I was sure I know it from somewhere. And final track is mix of variable quality. A lot of "ambient" like stuff, unfinished pieces and some very interestingly sounding tracks, but in overall, not that good. But I expected that.

4(+), one of these compilations that have enough reasons to exist.