The ProgBlog May 2022 playlist

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May’s playlist is another predominantly European list with a wide range of progressivo italiano and music selected from all along the timeline. It features music by three artists who sadly died over the last few weeks: Klaus Schulze’s new album DEUS ARRAKIS which harks back to his TIMEWIND and BLACKDANCE period; ALBEDO 0.39 by Vangelis, one of three mid-70’s albums that put the multi-instrumentalist firmly in the prog camp; and Alan White’s RAMSHACKLED, produced during the post-RELAYER Yes hiatus where the drummer was reunited with musicians he’d worked with before Yes. All three musicians will be sorely missed by the prog world.
My copy of Renaissance’s LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL is a US pressing designed for autoloader turntables which means that the running order over the four sides of vinyl does not match the printed running order and is one of nine LPs on the list sourced second-hand. The two most recent pre-loved albums were YOU by Gong and PAINT A PICTURE by Fantasy, bought from Flashback Records in Bethnal Green (131 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 7DG). An original pressing of PAINT A PICTURE sells for around £600, but I’m quite happy with a mint reissue!
There are only five downloads in this month’s list, including Schulze’s swansong DEUS ARRAKIS; the inclusion of KITES by This Winter Machine was inspired by some research into the band Ghost Of The Machine who release their debut album on June 3rd; the just-released DAEDALUS by Daal was brought to my attention in a Ma.Ra.Cash Records message through Bandcamp. Ma.Ra.Cash is an independent label based in Vigevano, Italy with a longstanding prog pedigree and DAEDALUS is an album I’ll be looking for in physical format when I’m next in Italy; I was contacted by Breaths, a one-man band based in Richmond, Virginia and sent the rather good four-part instrumental soundscape album ISOLERA which ticks all the right boxes for anyone into dark, atmospheric music; Jo Quail really needs no introduction and THE CARTOGRAPHER, commissioned for the Roadburn Festival, sees the cellist travel further down the prog path.
GO by Stomu Yamashta, Stevie Winwood and Michael Shrieve belongs to a good friend, part of an album loan arrangement (my half of the bargain was 666 by Aphrodite’s Child) and is the first time I’ve actually listened to a Stomu Yamashta album, despite originally thinking that I ought to investigate his music in the mid-70s. GO has some very proggy moments but there are also blues-rock elements which are less to my taste.
I hope you find something to your taste