SBB is one of the most important Polish bands of the seventies. This band, rightfully listed in the eclectic progressive genre, mainly plays a hybrid of symphonic prog, space/atmospheric prog and fusion.
A few art rock tinged exceptions aside, what SBB offers up with "Blue Trance" is a slice of high quality craftsmanship in the melodic rock department, sophisticated soft rock a description that should describe the contents in an easily understandable manner. A CD to pick up if you enjoy timeless classics of the kind classic rock oriented radio stations prefer to fill the airwaves with; more advanced musically, but adhering to that style of music to a much greater extent than progressive rock per se.
Certainly not the style of music McLachlan is known for, but Remixed is an album that will reach a new audience demographic that can at the very least appreciate her gorgeous voice, while serving as a continuing showcase for popular remixers and DJs now playing at a club near you…
Just when his listeners think they have him pegged, Klaus Schulze surprises them. On En=Trance, he follows his usual pattern for a while, then goes in a totally new direction. This album has Berlin school sequences and overt rhythms, but the sequences are extended and the rhythms do not dominate. Schulze uses deep atmospheres, symphonic synths, and experimental sci-fi sounds to create these trance-inducing soundscapes. The drawn-out sequences have atmospheric textures and the symphonic synths are smooth and direct. This is one of Schulze's stronger efforts.
Recorded in 1977, this classic work is an expression of Schoener's personal and subjective experiences from frequent trips to southeast Asia. Joined by Andy Summers (of The Police) on guitar and the other members of the band, The Secret Society, Schoener's Moog, Mellotron and keyboards lay a unique foundation for Gregorian vocals… It is recordings like this that show the timelessness of this musical genre.
Amon Düül ll's extraordinary 1973 album finds the influential German art rock band working surprisingly well in a short song format while still stamping the music with their unique sound. "Fly United," "Trap," and "Ladies Mimikry" show diverse styles of pop and rock running happily into each other with memorably quirky results. The instrumentation here is as quirky as ever,too – perhaps even more so than usual, with Chris Karrer's violin and sax playing now in the fore. The melodies are often shimmering. Unfortunately, the band never again sustained the excellence displayed on Viva la Trance again.