Hidria Spacefolk - Symbiosis. 2002 Finland

---11/12/12

The obvious comparison to Hidria Spacefolk is of course Ozric Tentacles, but that's only part (albeit a large one) to the entire equation. What's left out of most reviews is what comes after the plus sign - the early 1970's Scandinavia song craft - a certainly melodic sense that adds the key ingredient which makes Hidria Spacefolk so special. As someone who has listened to countless hours of the early 70s Scandinavian progressive scene, it's apparent immediately. From Sweden, you hear snippets here and there of Algarnas Tradgard, International Harvester, Lotus, Kvartetten Som Sprangde, and Saga. From Finland, there's Kalevala, Nimbus, and Haikara. The driving rhythms, electronica bits, synthesizer sequencers and riffing guitar point to a modern era. The bluesy guitar solos, sometimes with a Latin Santana influence, the Indian Eastern mysticism, the lead melodies, and the Hammond organ samples all point to a different era - one these lads most certainly absorbed growing up, even if unwittingly (though I suspect they are quite aware of their origins). If Ozric Tentacles is the post graduate course, then Symbiosis is the perfect score - 100%. 'Nasha Universo' is my favorite short-form progressive song for the entire 2000 decade.

---5//05

I remember 1989 being an exciting time. New bands were starting to crop up, playing a fascinating combination of old school space rock (Gila, Hawkwind, Gong) with modern sensibilities, sounds and structures. Ozric Tentacles, Tangle Edge, and Djam Karet provided some fresh sounds in a musical era where all hope seemed lost. And not a single one of them, or even any of their followers, ever seemed to live up to that promise. Oh sure, there’s been plenty of great  albums in the style (including by the three bands above), but they never transcended their initial impact. It wasn’t until the Hungarian ensemble Korai Orom emerged (and to a lesser extent the Russian combo Ole Lukkoye) that a new perspective was brought forth. But even Korai Orom stagnated after the almost perfect 1997 album. I say all of this as Hidria Spacefolk is, at least for me, the full realization of all the promise set forth by these bands. I constantly think I will drop my score, that maybe I was just swayed by the moment or caught up in a mood towards the sound. But it always survives these lingering doubts, and that’s because this is one heck of a deep album. I marvel at how much happens within each track (witness ‘Nasha Universo’), while never losing focus of the melody, nor the energy level. They never fell prey to the usual trappings (reggae, static electronics, loose jams, incessant atonal noise). It’s focused, it’s tight, it’s energetic, it’s memorable, it rocks out. It’s why I collect music. Perfect, just perfect.

---12//04

The album Ozric has in them, but can’t seem to get even close to making. I remember the first time I heard this, I kept waiting for it to flounder, to add same sounding filler, to have long drawn out sections of atmosphere or, even worse, just make cacophonic noise. Never happened. The whole album maintains its energy, while no two tracks sounds the same with emphasis on quality melodies, which in itself is a lost art. For me, one of the best albums of the last 20 years.

Ownership: CD: 2002 Silenze. Tri-fold digifile. My CD says it's on Silence. My guess is the label changed their name to Silenze later to avoid confusion with the legendary 1970s Swedish label of the same name.

2003 (first listen); 12//04 (original notes); 5//05 (more notes) ; 4/16/10; 11/12/12 (review / new entry); 7/16/24