Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Artrock, Prog | Heft: Jahrgang 2013, eclipsed Nr. 150 / 5-2013 | VÖ-Jahr: 2013 | Wertung: 8/10 | Label: Artist Station | Autor: AS
Tapical attempts to combine rock and classical music are a thing of the past. More and more young classical musicians are able to marry strict rules and free spirit attitude in a relaxed way. The protagonists of the French-German formation Eclipse Sol-Air from Regensburg are among them. They already showed this with their 2011 album "Bartók's Crisis", which unfortunately was still a little bit brain-bound. That no longer applies to "Schizophilia", thank God. Here everything was directed in the right direction, virtuosity, creativity and arranging art were channelled in such a way that an appealing and varied music between (folk) prog and romantic art rock was created. One may assume that producer Frank Bornemann (Eloy), in whose Horus Sound Studios the record matured, had his influence on it. With rock instruments, piano, organ, strings and flute, the septet on "Schizophilia" stages a philosophical examination of life with special consideration of the phenomenon of love. In keeping with the theme, the CD begins with a big bang that turns into organ sounds pregnant with meaning and then into melancholic chamber music and then chansonesque moods ("Once Upon A Time"). The sensitive "Watch Over You" is a sad and comforting reminiscence of the painter of the last ESA cover who died in a car accident. The piano violin ballad "Lydian Dream" (see eclipsed sampler), at first lovely but nevertheless tricky, thematizes unfulfilled lovers' dreams. The eight-minute "Schizophilia" presents first-class art rock, and the more exhilarating "Final Time" beguiles with an evocative instrumental part. Altogether a more than convincing album: Eclipse Sol-Air progress on a high level with seven-league boots.
Top track: Schizophilia