What do you think if you read the bands name? At first sight I saw an amoeba and thought: uhm... if the music sounds like anything that has only one cell, I guess it cannot be anything worth listening to. The second thing by thinking about the band name was the right one, an original multi-instrumentalist who had an idea in creating music without letting anybody give suggestions so it is truly the album of the instrumentalist and no one else. And that is exactly what Jens Lueck did. And not for the first time in history because Event Horizon is the third album written by Jens. On the Background Magazine website you can read the review of the previous album, Percipio Ergo Sum (2021, see review). On the album Jens had some guests that I will introduce to you. On the guitars are Ingo Salzmann and Johnny Beck (Sylvan), the lady vocals by Isgaard Marke, acoustic guitars by Jurgen Osuchowski, recorders by Volker Kuinke, backing vocals by Adriana Glavas and the voice of Kai Ritter. So what can we expect from Event Horizon? For me this is a very inspirational and diverse album in the style of neo prog with a big influence of Pink Floyd. The highlights of the album are all the moments that Isgaard Marke is singing because she has a velvet voice. Just wow when you hear her singing. Other highlights are the melodic guitar solos. This album is one for the year lists, if you ask me. Now I will take your hand and will lead you through all the songs. The albums opens with Memories In A Box, the longest track on the album. When the quiet guitar sounds enter, you are directly into the music. The voices of Jens and Isgaard match as well as they match in life, because they are partners in life. You will hear many times that they have dialogues in the singing. The music is really melodic, especially the guitars and it imposes itself on the brain and settles there. I have learned that if something is in the brain, it will never leave again, so try before you die! The music is never over the top, it is all between the neo prog lines. Some people will like that a lot, some people not. For me it is exactly what it has to be. Now and then the voice of Jens sounds a bit like Steven Wilson, just like the mysterious music. The first song is a true adventure. At the end Isgaard will hypnotize you again with her voice, so beautiful. Changes Are Coming is the second song. All songs flow into each other, that is normal if we have a concept album. In this song you will hear a lot of Pink Floyd without bothering by the way. This song could have been on the Wish You Were Here album. There is a real great dragging guitar solo supported by lovely keyboards. In Thoughts you will hear up-tempo music in the vein of Steven Wilson. On the other hand it builds up slowly so you can relax with this song. On my face is a continuous smile, I do not now why, but it is true. Halfway there is a short keyboard solo. The keys are important in this song, just as the guitar that takes over the short solo. Towards the end it is time for the rhythm section to be heard, what is a nice move. This song paints between the lines but the all over theme of the album needs that. Jens exactly knows how to create his music. After Thoughts it is time for The Encounters. This song starts with acoustic guitars but there is directly a relaxed guitar solo whereafter the velvet voice of Isgaard settles in your brains again. A vocal duet is what your ears hear. When the duet is over there is more space for the music. We are treated to a solo on guitar that splits through the soul. Not back on earth yet Isgaard will take you to heaven again with her golden voice. Now and then I become emotional from this song, and that is exactly what music is meant to be. In real life the connection with other people is hard to find nowadays, but by the music you are directly connected and it is not possible to be disconnected. Towards the end of the song another fantastic guitar solo takes you to heaven again. With relaxed piano sounds the number fades out. A true masterpiece for me. It is the turn for Shifted. In this song Isgaard really wants to tell you her story. As if she is hanging on you so you cannot not listen to her message. Besides the story the emotions are so important in this one. What the vocals do to me is that they surround you with her arms, takes you with her, closes her into your heart, never let go. A true joy to listen to. So the second masterpiece in a row on the album, bravo! After Shifted I need some time to recover. After recovering it is time for Inhale What's Forbidden. We had the emotional vocals from Isgaard in the previous song, now it is time for the emotional voice of Jens. You hear dragging music that carries you, has no splurge but does exactly what the song needs. In this song you hear a great keyboard solo that is intense and goes deeply and on the climax the guitar takes over and fades away to get into the storyline again. Towards the end it is more threatening and that feels great. Keep My Faith In Humans is a more quiet song. There is an easy guitar solo that has been carried by the keys. Lyrically you hear how Jens is looking to the world, to much oriented on powers from outside towards the inner world. Distorted Night is the shortest song on the album and instrumental. It is up tempo and has a good guitar solo. And then it is time for the album closer and title of the album, Event Horizons. It starts mellows in the vein of Pink Floyd. Now and then some background choirs, it is all welcome. It is good that halfway the music is some more heavy and threatening, otherwise the attention slackens. And just as you are thinking about the attention the main role is for the keyboard and the guitars, first on their own, than in a duel, what will be the climax of the song. After the climax it is all quiet and the album fades out, the trip is coming to an end. I hope Jens has some more inspiration for new music. For me it is a gem to discover. I will go for a listen to the previous albums because the music is worth it. On the website of Single Celled Organism you can read the whole story of the concept. If I am honest, I did not read it. Sometimes lyrics are important to me, this time the music predominated. The album is highly recommended. **** Michel Stolk (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
