Lets get this out of the way first of all, you will not be headbanging in this chill out zone. But that is not a criticism. The whole album is induces a journey back into the Prog Rock infused 70s and immediately conjures up the slower hippy tones of Pink Floyd, Yes, Bowie and Rush. It is filled with a sanguine melancholy that, no matter what you’ve dealt with during your day, just. Chills. You. The. Fuck. Out.
If you have never thought about it, after listening to this album you will binge your ass out on Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Stranger Things, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dune. This is an album you could imagine David Lynch chilling out to.
Each track is a translucent thing of beauty that soothes all your cares away with a sensually light fingered touch. It is an absolutely delightful cornucopia of psychedelic icecream and sponge cake.
You will just float away on the bubbling electronica and truly sweet hushed whispered vocals of Kilbey as he cogitates over each syllabic lyric.
‘Glow and Fade’ floats in like a soft wind on a dreamy day with a mirage like wistfulness as Kilbey channels his inner Bowie. It’s almost like a slowed down ‘Space Oddity’ with Major Tom clearly off his tits and loved up.
‘The Game Never Changes’ takes you on a trippy 16 minutes of pure, pleasurable harmony that continues to play on the Major Tom shtick. The acoustic intro beautifully blends into the weightless electronic jam that ensues. The racy electronica rush that then kicks fits perfectly with the overall piece and would feel perfectly at home in an episode of Stranger Things. A superb piece.
Next in line is ‘They Know’ and again uses a beautiful acoustic intro piece that is wonderfully complemented with Kilbey’s vocals.
‘We Are Still Waiting’ sees Kilbey marrying his vocal talents with that of Selena Cross. The whole experience is one of a tranced out blissful blend of lush vocals. It has the earthy feel of stepping out into a field just after the brain has stopped and the sun beams down.
With ‘Law of The Jungle’, and a background cameo from Cross, the trippy harmonics feels like a hushed theme from a teen romance movie in the 80s. One of those angst ridden ones where through trials, tribulations and arguments they have their individual soul searching/tear ridden montage before they hug each other tight. It is just beautifully evocative.
Next is ‘Levitate’ a delightful Blade Runneresque track that also feels like it would fit well with Dune. It will leave you wondering if Androids dream of Kilbey and Kennedy.
The ‘Story of Jonah’ ushers you onto a pure Pink Floyd, rainbow infused imaginarium that will smooth out all the kinks in your stress addled mind. The track just exudes relaxed rock with the duo’s velveteen mixture of dreamy electronica and emotion laden vocals.
‘One is All’ pulls you along into an isolation tank allowing you to just lie back and flaot away from all that keeps you chained down. A beautiful and perfect end to the album.
Even though there are only eight tracks, totalling around 48 minutes, ‘Glow and Fade’ feels like you have been out of it all in your own happy soft rock place of peace for hours.
Definitely a piece of pure classic prog-rock genius for the modern age.
Review by Ivor Whitten
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