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January 2025

January 2025

The first new acquisitions arrived mid-January on the same day. The 1974 Demo of Hergest Ridge, a 2024 RSD release, was a bit of a completist purchase and though I'll still play the demo from time-to-time, it lacks the full symphonic scope of Oldfield's original release which I still think is the best mix of the album.
The packaging of Melting Clock's 'Altrove' limited edition vinyl enhances what is already a great piece of prog. The chosen inserts (the album on CD; a 24-page photo book detailing the time from the genesis of the album to headlining at the Crescendo festival, post-CD and streaming platform release; a poster promoting the Crescendo festival; the lyric book) demonstrate how much thought has gone into the LP's production and matches the care taken over the music.
'The Castle of Crossed Destinies' by Mythology was a pre-loved find from the Viale Vittorio Veneto branch of Libraccio in Milan and despite its lack of information about the group's members or instrumentation - anonymity being a key component of the group's image - it's sonically suited to a release on Black Widow Records with heavy prog moments and lots of Mellotron although some of the best moments are the unexpected jazzy excursions.
The inclusion of Alphataurus' '2084: Viaggio nel nulla' and the two Lethe albums, 'Nymphae' and 'Il cavaliere inesistente' were part of my preparation for the Milan trip; a press conference in Arese given by the two groups which included interviews with the musicians, an interview with prog-fan, writer and director Gianpaolo Saccomano, films and documentaries.
One album was streamed. 'El Poder de la Infancia' is a self-titled release from 2024 which mixes traditional Argentinian music with jazz, prog and post-rock. The band has also just released a short, two-track EP 'Campamento' which acts as a good introduction to last year's full album.

As usual, the rest of the playlist is an assortment of music chosen from the ProgBlog collection, covering a wide range of sub-genres.

I hope you find something to your taste.

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