Art Rock Show – ESP Project – Velvet Crunch (Week 44)

Het Britse rockcollectief ESP Project, opgericht in 2015 in het Engelse plaatsje Wendover, vertegenwoordigt een dynamische kruising tussen progressieve rock en moderne geluidsexperimenten. Wat ooit begon als een tijdelijke samenwerking van topmusici uit bands zoals King Crimson, Van der Graaf Generator en Procol Harum – onder leiding van gitarist/zanger Tony Lowe en drummer/percussionist/zanger Mark Brzezicki – groeide al snel uit tot een volledig en sterk zelfstandig project.

TPA (The Progressive Aspect): “The concept for ESP Project’s latest album, Velvet Crunch, is directly inspired by the interconnecting networks linking the plants, trees and fungi within a forest ecosystem, and the album sets out to convey those deep connections through words and music. ESP Project surfaced in 2015 when composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Tony Lowe joined forces with a collective of other musicians to create the album Invisible Din. Since then, a further eight critically acclaimed albums have appeared under the ESP banner, featuring various line-ups. Each has its own distinctive flavour, demonstrating the remarkable breadth of Tony’s musicianship, but there is a recognisable house style, characterised by rich and unexpected harmonies, gently unfolding melodies, sumptuous layered soundscapes, dynamic structures and, at the core, a deep and uplifting sense of warmth and affirmation.

The musical language of Velvet Crunch is an accessible and captivating brand of symphonic progressive rock, seamlessly blending classic and contemporary features. For his tenth album Tony has returned to the line-up from his second release, 22 Layers of Sunlight, with Peter Coyle providing lyrics and vocals and Mark Brzezicki on drums. (…)

This is mood-enhancing music that can gently wash through you and recharge your spirit, but for full health benefits this reviewer recommends total immersion with eyes closed and phone switched off. Velvet Crunch doesn’t just describe what it’s like to be in the forest; it magically shifts your viewpoint so that you become the forest itself, experiencing the rhythmic unfolding of the seasons and the deep, intersecting pathways of resurrection and renewal. Scientific studies have confirmed that time spent walking in the green shade of woodlands affords countless benefits for mind, body and spirit. When you slowly open your eyes after a deep listen to this spellbinding album, you will feel refreshed, uplifted and in harmony with nature – a profoundly rewarding experience you can repeat as many times as you wish from the comfort of your armchair and without treading mud into the carpet.”

Naast ESP Project (Velvet Crunch), Io Earth (Solitude), Karibow (Holophinium), Laughing Stock (Songs for the Future), Submarine Silence (Journey Through Mine), Dave Kerzner (All Worlds – Live at Rosfest) & Red Sand (Behind the Mask).”

• Thursday/Donderdag 12.00 – 24.00
• Friday/Vrijdag 12.00 – 24.00
• Saturday/Zaterdag 12.00 – 24.00