Песен / Song (ФСБ / FSB, 1979)

ФСБ (or FSB in Latin alphabet) stands for Формация Студио Балкантон (Formation Studio Balkanton) and is the name of a very interesting Bulgarian band born during the Seventies and recently reunited. Their prog is a manifold one, ranging from calm and Camel-esque atmospheres (it's the case with this "Song") to jazzy and experimental tracks.

The 1979 line-up: R. Boyadzhiev, K. Tzekov and A. Baharov.

As you'll immediately discover, those musicians knew how to play their instruments and as a matter of fact they were all classically trained. The track I'm introducing here, coming from the album "FSB II", has a good deal of magic and sense of wonder in it, along with plenty of electronic keyboards... well, the band have two keyboardists ouf of three members! So, please, close your eyes and press your "play" button...

Сарабанд / Saraband (Велислав Иванов / Velislav Ivanov, 2008)

Something dark and calm, this time. If you like rather easy and melancholic neo-prog, this Bulgarian artist should be your cup of tea. I like his minimalist kind of prog, based on good melodies and on atmospheric keyboards. No other instruments, apart Velislav's voice, can be heard in this song, taken from the album "Тъй близко до самия небосвод" (something like "So Close to the Sky Itself" in English).

This dark concept album was the second studio work by Ivanov.

No special effects, no tricky arrangements, no great performances... just a young man, his black and white keys, his morn thoughts and his passion for prog music. I can't exactly say why I'm moved by such a bare song and by someone singing in a language I don't understand, but I'm really touched and this is a good reason enough to put this song in my blog. Even more: I like the whole album and once again, please, don't ask me why. Prog is a mystery and may it stay so.