Clearlight Mosaique

After what was reportedly a commercial failure in the more straight-ahead, symphonically oriented Les Contes du Singe Fou, Cyrille decided to take over the production duties on the next album, Visions, and imbibed it with a slightly new musical direction based on Eastern philosophical and religious precepts. The result is a generally varied work that retains the more structured vibe of the previous album. Cyrille Verdeaux's piano and keyboard melodies are again the dominant force on Visions, and are supplemented by the usual eclectic blend of instrumentation. …

Third album following the cosmic masterpiece "Forever blowing bubbles", "Les contes du singe fou" released two years later in 1977, shows a new direction in Clearlight's music. The music is now dominated by piano and violin. It results in a more classical feel and a symphonic jazzrock orientation to the music. Another new element is the omnipresent English vocals by Ian Bellamy: a half success, giving a more conventional style to Clearlight's music. A light cosmic touch is still present thanks to Tim Blake galactic synthe work and some instrumental moments remain quite good, despite the drum weakness.

Clearlight fourth album, released in 1978, one year after the disappointing "Les contes du singe fou" shows a more new age direction, as the beautiful cover shows. Like the previous album, it's a half success, actually an unequal album. The opener "Spirale d'amour" features Verdeaux pastoral piano work, nice melody but really too gentle. It may evoke children cartoon music! You can virtually imagine a gentle pink rabbit appearing.We're very far from "Symphony" or "Forever blowing bubbles" acid cosmic spacerock. "Full moon raga" is the long ambitious piece which actually saves the album. It's a very good jazzrock tune which may evoke Mahavisnu at times. Only the drum lakes fineness, but we're already in 1978, so this explains that…

Clearlight’s "Impressionist Symphony" focuses on the artistic style of impressionism, painting and music as well with a Ravel, Satie and Debussy influence merged with Cyrille Verdeaux’s progressive music experience and linked with the French impressionist school of painting. The release celebrates the 40th anniversary of "Clearlight Symphony," an early classic Virgin Records release, which featured Cyrille’s compositional skills and virtuoso keyboard playing, with performances by Gong family members Tim Blake, Steve Hillage, and Didier Malherbe, and others. For the new symphony, Cyrille is once again joined by Tim, Steve, and Didier, as well other friends, new and old, on eight extended compositions.

Following "Symphony", here's the second album from Clearlight, and clearly the most accomplished effort from this major french band. Delightful Tim Blake's-like synthe, incredible cosmic guitar by the unknown Jean-Claude D'Agostini - another "french Hillage"- while Christian Boulé appears on the fantastic bonus "Sweet absinthe". Cyril Verdeaux adds a unique symphonic touch to the whole thanks to his piano work. Joel Dugrenot on bass, Gilbert Artman on drums and percussions, David Cross on violin are also here, among others. There are also some tensed moments with magmaian influences, which alternate with space cosmic flights. The music is dense and inspired, with psychedelic effects reminding of german prog (the music accelerates as if the tape was played too fast and other kinds of shifts). The bonus on the CD release are wonderful - especially "Sweet absinthe"-, making this album a cosmic rock absolute masterpiece.

Following "Symphony", here's the second album from Clearlight, and clearly the most accomplished effort from this major french band. Delightful Tim Blake's-like synthe, incredible cosmic guitar by the unknown Jean-Claude D'Agostini - another "french Hillage"- while Christian Boulé appears on the fantastic bonus "Sweet absinthe". Cyril Verdeaux adds a unique symphonic touch to the whole thanks to his piano work. Joel Dugrenot on bass, Gilbert Artman on drums and percussions, David Cross on violin are also here, among others. There are also some tensed moments with magmaian influences, which alternate with space cosmic flights. The music is dense and inspired, with psychedelic effects reminding of german prog (the music accelerates as if the tape was played too fast and other kinds of shifts). The bonus on the CD release are wonderful - especially "Sweet absinthe"-, making this album a cosmic rock absolute masterpiece.

The second album of CLEARLIGHT 1975. The original LP was released on Virgin Records. Guest musicians: DAVID CROSS (KING CRIMSON), CHRISTIAN BOULE, GILBERT ARTMAN (LARD FREE, URBAN SAX)…etc. Including remixes in 2000 and unreleased tracks from 1980/81 as bonus. "Forever Blowing bubbles" sounds a lot less like Gong and more like a symphonic version of Steve Hillage's solo works. Great progressive rock music with beautiful keyboard, guitar and saxophone solos.

Initially published in 1986, "La Mosaïque De La Rêverie" is one of the most famous and successful albums of Nippon symphonic rock. This is a very personal work, that has become a symbol of the prolific Eighties Japanese Progressive rock school. Despite a certain Genesis touch which might be observed, it strikes a perfect balance between vocals, synthesizers and piano, flute and guitar. This classical rock is very lyrical, subtle and dynamic.