Ok right how do I describe Visible Breath..

Electronic, meets Prog, meets Jazz, meets space rock, meets orchestral symphonic rock.. ;D

Well sort of.. Sweeping keys, driving guitars, pounding rhythms, exciting time changes, well they do the lot. ;D

The album Degrees of Light is split into two 'sections', First Orbit which lives up to the 'spacey' title, but think of an exciting film soundtrack style that is easy to listen to and get totally immersed in. 8 segments make up the whole, each segment stands up in its own right but blends perfectly with the rest.. Simply marvelous.

The second half of the album (track 10 on-wards) changes again, jazzy/proggy, with great vocals, Desire is a superb track.... There is a hint of fun with titles like 'The Inspectre Calls'.. humpf with links think that I've not got a ghost of a chance! (DOH!)

This album has the lot. At least from a Soundscapes point of view! All of the tracks are great on melody, the absorbing and flowing, equal parts dramatic and tranquil.

Please check them out at www.visiblebreath.com

Cheers.

Paul 8-)

This follow up release to the band’s first outing Fuse (2004) is important for its ambitious first half concept piece entitled “First Orbit”, a nine part epic endeavouring to portray the feelings of Yuri Gagarin, the first man ever to venture beyond the earth’s atmosphere and see the world from the outside in.

The work is a most enjoyable mix of electronica and symphonic styled instrumentals. The opening part, “Vostok” is a bright neo-progressive arrangement, perhaps embracing the excitement before the launch whilst the later tracks develop the various themes of the journey’s unique experiences from weightlessness through the first orbit to seeing for the first time the shadow of the earth and sunrise over the poles. The whole work hangs together very nicely reminding me a little of Mike Oldfield’s Distant Earth album. Smooth layers of keys provide the undercoat for bright synths and soaring guitar lines. In its lighter moments we are treated to some rather tasteful piano, especially pleasantly presented on the moving “Polar Sunrise”...

   ...fans of Camel, Mike Oldfield, Kerrs Pink and melodic prog/electronica in general should enjoy this.   

A nice relaxing CD. I'm reminded of Gandalf but with more of an edge. Because of the excellent guitar playing, Steve Hackett also comes to mind.
If you are into the mellower side of prog,Degrees of Light should please. Recommended.

This reminds me of something Geoff Downes would have done on his first solo album The Light Program but with the addition of some melodic guitar work. That funky electronic keyboard bass and the electronic drums really take me back. The airy synth patches are very effective here and it gives the music a somewhat new age/neo prog mood that is very effective...