Svitanie (Modrý Efekt, 1977)

Back in the '70s several East European bands graced the musical scene of the Soviet sphere of influence and were able to feed the underground music scenes of their countries. This is the case with Modrý Efekt (originally The Special Blue Effect and then M Efekt) in Czechoslovakia. Their sound was somewhere in between jazz-rock fusion and symphonic prog, but the final result really was unique. 

"Svitanie" is the sixth album by this Prague based band.

This 19-minute title track "Svitanie" (meaning "Dawning") is one of their best moments, so rich in changes and musical delicacies. The bluesy sound of this long song adds a special flavour to the track and all through the song the organ / guitar weaving is simply perfect thanks to Oldrich Vaselý and Radim Hladik. The sparse vocal parts have their own pastoral taste that fit in the big picture. A vibrant and instructing window on a musical scene we should study in deep.

The Scene of Pale Blue (Outer Limits, 1987)

Outer Limits are one of the most interesting bands from the 80s lushing Japanese prog scene and their 1987 album titled "The Scene of Pale Blue"is likely their best work. This 20'30" title track I'm writing about is simply shocking. Each movememt has a different mood and all instruments have their own space: not only keyboards ( Mellotron & Synths) and guitars, but also violin and piano. 

This is a Japanese prog pearl, IMHO.

The composition is high standing, the musicians very skilled and there are so many original ideas, some of them coming from horror movies or TV shows. Not only neoprogressive, then, but a surprising mix of genres, just as good prog should be!

Song of The Rainforest (The Emerald Dawn, 2026)

The Emerald Dawn were born in Edinburgh and are now based in St Ives, Cornwall. Lead by multi-instrumentalist musicians Ally Carter and Katrina "Tree" Stewart, they released "The Land, The Sea, The Air (Volume 2)" in 2026 as their seventh studio album since 2010 and a sequel to their previous 2015 work.

This album consists of three long tracks.

This is the opening suite of the record and you'll be surprised by the perfect fusion of neo-prog, jazz, folk and symphonic elements in this track, divided in four movents (i. Balance, ii. Incursions, iii. Loss, iv. Regret). Some features really are peculiar: Ally Carter's beautiful sax, Tree Stewart's atmospheric and bombastic keyboards and, of course, the underlying ecological meaning. Last but not least, the final electric guitar solo is simply beautiful.

A tres quadras del mar (Arenal, 2007)

 Arenal are a Chilean band from Valparaiso who released two interesting albums between 2007 and 2011. They were able to combine many different elements to build up a fascinating sound, full of electric and acoustic passages, melodic atmospheres, neo-prog sounds, fusion passages and even a light touch of metal prog. This song is the title track from their debut album and you'll find in it almost everything I listed above. 

This debut album is an instrumental prog hidden gem, IMHO.

Such a diverse palette never prevents the track's coherence, fluidity and enjoyability, allowing on the contrary a deeper and richer texture. The way jazzy and classical themes merge in this instrumental piece of music is surprising and very, very welcome to me. The whole band is technically gifted, but a special mention goes to guitarist Sandro Fernández and keyboardist Daniel Nanjari, providing the core sound of Arenal.

Countermovement (Yes, 2026)

 "Aurora" ist the 24th studio abum by Yes and, IMHO, their best 2020s album so far. The main reason for such an achievement is the shared composition work they adopted here more than ever in their recent efforts. Take this 14-minute suite: all the members of the band are credited as authors and this is why the track is so fresh and varied. It is divided into four movements: Taro, Anytime Soon, Blink of An Eye and Freedom's Edge, each of them well written and perfectly arranged (useless to say, wonderfully performed). 

Guess who painted this cover art?

The sung themes all all rather catchy and leave the right space to sharp and unpredictable instrumental passages, including keyboard and guitar solos. Different moods and sonic solutions are there and the sleeve notes of the album inform us that those movements were originally standalone songs, then all the band's member worked together to enrich and link them into the flushing suite that made the album. This is exactly how good bands work and it's great to see how Yes can still be a real group after so many years.

Summer Lies Beyond (Comedy of Errors, 2023)

This is the long track (15 '27") opening the 2023 album "Threnody for A Dead Queen" by Comedy of Errors, a very good (IMHO) band from Glasgow, Scotland, you'll also find elsewhere in this blog. It's a well written, performed and arranged song, with a constant tension all along its phases and such a beautiful, elegant atmosphere. 

This "Threnody" was the sixth studio album by COE.

The electronic elements are never rigid and perfectly melt into the melodic texture of the track, guiding the listener through a fascinating musical tour. I also like the vocal harmonies, the keyboard sounds, the rhythmic section's work and, of course the guitar parts. The final crescendo adds a grandiose side to the big picture, so that any prog heart will be fulfilled. Take this trip and be happy!

Rapsodia nocturna (Julián Martínez, 2026)

Julián Martínez is an Argentinian musician whose interests span from classical music to the golden era progressive rock. His prog compositions are beautiful instrumental tracks, where piano and assorted keyboards create a deep and relaxed atmosphere, just like in this "Rapsodia nocturna", taken from his 2026 album titled "Ecos del horizonte". 

So romantic, isn't it?

Martínez likes pensive and even painful melodies and the one we appreciate here is one of his best themes, IMHO. As I coldn't find any additional credits, I presume all instruments are played by Julián himself and he surely does it very well: the guitar sound is simply striking and goes deep into the listener's soul, while the keys provide a smooth and rich background. I'm sure this musician will regale us even more in the forthcoming years and I'll be here to inform you.