Review – Gazpacho – Soyuz – by Jez Denton

I am by no means a huge fan of progressive rock, there are bits I like, some I don’t, some I find clever and some I find completely over the top and pretentious beyond words. However, I do like to try new stuff, or at least new to me, and when it comes from an act that I’ve heard lots about from friends and acquaintances I’ll certainly give it a good go.

So when I was sent through the new album, released this week, from Norwegian alt-rock experimentalists, Gazpacho, I started listening with great expectation, having heard the name mentioned a few times by people whose thoughts on music I respect.

What I love most about hearing new music is picking up on the references that shape that music, and this album, ‘Soyuz’, is rammed full of great influences that have shaped the sound, whilst not diluting the bands own distinctive voice. It is an album shaped by the experiences of this band growing up in a period of huge political uncertainty, the Cold War, in a country very close to the borders of that conflict.

The sphere of influence that the USSR held over the countries of Northern and Eastern Europe have led to the music on this album having a sinister and dark, perhaps even fearful sound, a sense of foreboding. Across this the band tell stories such as that, in the first single, Soyuz One, of the doomed space mission by the Russians where cosmonaut, Colonel Vladimir Komorav, died; the first in-flight fatality in the history of space flight. The way the stories are told are engaging; making parts of this album seem like a pretty cool history lesson.

Musically the band are very adept at creating clever melodies and tunes, that, in common with many of their contemporaries, wash over the listener, enveloping them in the senses they try to create. However, the band are also more than happy to throw in the odd curve ball, a contrasting surprise. The ending of Soyuz One, for instance, which is a beautiful piece of piano music, is something Vaughan Williams would, no doubt,  have been proud of.

The album has a number of these little vignettes through out, it’s as if the guys have visited Cecil Sharp House and had a go through some traditional English folk tunes with which to enhance the sound of the album. With a bit of folk fiddle or a pastoral piano piece thrown in the album has, in places, the feel of a Fairport Convention album with production by Brian Eno.

This is an album of superior tunes, interesting and engaging subject matter and a brooding Nordic sound that will both appeal to fans of progressive music whilst also be surprising enough to make the album stand out amongst contemporaries and attract new devotees. The band have created a fine work that works of many levels. A mighty fine effort that will reward the listener over multiple listens.

Released 18th May 2018

Order Soyuz here

GAZPACHO RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR “EXIT SUITE” FROM NEW STUDIO ALBUM SOYUZ

Ahead of the release of their brand-new studio album, Soyuz, on May 18th Norwegian Art-rock progressive outfit Gazpacho have revealed their visually stunning and emotive new video for the track “Exit Suite”

Gazpacho’s Thomas Andersen explains the song’s creative birth “Exit Suite is the cinematic sounding result of a night playing with matches in the studio. It is a song about the fear of dawn and the passing of the old day.  The matches were supposed to be our short flickering lives in the dark universe and we ended up making a rhythm out of them and building a song on that rhythm.”

Andersen continues on the creation of the video clip “The short film accompanying the song was made by Dewi Allen from the University of South Wales, Cardiff and we loved it. We had lots of ideas on what the film should be like and he had the wisdom to ignore everything we said and do it his way. It’s perfect, speaks for itself and showcases his very special talent. I hope you all agree.”

Gazpacho have become synonymous for their distinctive art rock that balances tense and beautiful arrangements, sinister and soulful melodic lines, Soyuz furthers their experimental output. With a holistic approach to the album writing process, imbuing each with a captivating concept – in Soyuz the concept was born from the idea of how beautiful moments pass and cannot be “saved for later”, so within Soyuz are interconnected tales of people and lives “frozen in time”. Taking inspiration from a multitude of eras and subject matters, including the doomed Russian space capsule Soyuz and its iconic captain Komarov; the Tibetan Buddhist funeral practice in “Sky Burial”; the inclusion of the oldest recording of the human voice from 1860 and the Hans Christian Andersen inspired “Emperor Bespoke”.

Recorded at Krypton Planet & St. Croix Fredrikstad in Norway, engineered by Thomas Andersen, Kristian Torp and Mikael Kroemer, mixed by John Rausch and mastered by Sonovo Mastering’s Thor Legvold. The artwork, designed by painter Antonio Seijas, is inspired by Russian Cold War colours and fonts from the Soyuz One flight era.

Soyuz will be released on CD / LP and digitally (with pre orders receiving “Soyuz One” and “Exit Suite” as instant downloads) and is available to pre-order HERE

Gazpacho have confirmed they will be taking Soyuz on the road this summer with a series of headline shows and an appearance at Be Prog! My Friend Festival in Barcelona, with more dates to follow 

Soyuz Tour 2018
 
24/05 – NL –  Maastricht, Muziekgieterij,
25/05 – NL-  Uden, De Pul
26/05 – NL-  Zoetermeer, De Boerderij,
28/05 – UK – London, The Dome
31/05 – DE – Aschaffenburg, Colos-saal
01/06 – DE – Cologne Die Kantine,
02/06 – NL – Leeuwarden, Neushoorn,
23/06 – NO – Oslo, John Dee
30/06 – ESP – Barcelona, Be Prog Festival

For tickets see www.gazpachoworld.com

Gazpacho are:

Jan Henrik Ohme (vocals)

Thomas Andersen (keyboards, programming)

Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars)

Mikael Krømer (violin, mandolin)

Kristian Torp (bass)

Robert Risberget Johansen (drums & percussion)

Follow Gazpacho online:

https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage

www.gazpachoworld.com

GAZPACHO REVEAL DETAILS OF NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘SOYUZ’ – RELEASE FIRST SINGLE ‘SOYUZ ONE’

Norwegian Art-rock progressive outfit Gazpacho are set to release their brand-new studio album ‘Soyuz’ through Kscope on 18th May 2018.

Known for their distinctive art rock that balances tense and beautiful arrangements, sinister and soulful melodic lines, Gazpacho’s Soyuz furthers their experimental output.  To launch Soyuz the band have revealed their first single “Soyuz One”:

A band who are used to seizing headlines with bizarre stories, including The Independent (UK) branding Molok as “An album that could destroy the world”, Gazpacho have a holistic approach to the album writing process, imbuing each with a captivating concept. The themes of ‘Soyuz’ were born from the idea of how beautiful moments pass and cannot “be saved for later”, so within ‘Soyuz’ are interconnected tales of people and lives “frozen in time”. Taking inspiration from a multitude of eras and subject matters , including the doomed Russian space capsule Soyuz and its iconic captain Komarov; the Tibetan Buddhist funeral practice in “Sky Burial”; the inclusion of the oldest recording of the human voice from 1860 and the Hans Christian Andersen inspired “Emperor Bespoke”.

Recorded at Krypton Planet & St. Croix Fredrikstad in Norway, engineered by Thomas Andersen, Kristian Torp and Mikael Kroemer, mixed by John Rausch and mastered by Sonovo Mastering’s Thor Legvold. The artwork, designed by painter Antonio Seijas, is inspired by Russian Cold War colours and fonts from the Soyuz One flight era.

Soyuz Tracklisting 

1. Soyuz One

2. Hypomania

3. Exit Suite

4. Emperor Bespoke

5. Sky Burial

6. Fleeting Things

7. Soyuz Out

8. Rappaccini

Soyuz will be released on CD / LP and digitally (with pre orders receiving “Soyuz One” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order HERE

Gazpacho have confirmed they will be taking Soyuz on the road this summer with a series of headline shows and an appearance at Be Prog! My Friend Festival in Barcelona, with more dates to follow:

Soyuz Tour 2018
24/05 – NL –  Maastricht, Muziekgieterij,
25/05 – NL-  Uden, De Pul
26/05 – NL-  Zoetermeer, De Boerderij,
28/05 – UK – London, The Dome
31/05 – DE – Aschaffenburg, Colos-saal
01/06 – DE – Cologne Die Kantine,
02/06 – NL – Leeuwarden, Neushoorn,

23/06 – NO – Oslo, John Dee

30/06 – ESP – Barcelona, Be Prog! My Friend Festival

For tickets see www.gazpachoworld.com

Gazpacho are:

Jan Henrik Ohme (vocals)

Thomas Andersen (keyboards, programming)

Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars)
Mikael Krømer (violin, mandolin)
Kristian Torp (bass)

Robert Risberget Johansen (drums & percussion)

Band Photography Credit Justin Lambert.

Artwork Credit Antonio Seijas.