Protos ~ England

One Day A New Horizon (1982)

---2006

Sometime around 1992 or so, England’s Record Collector magazine had an article on the rarest UK items ever. For the 1980 decade, Protos was named #1. And their over the top praise of it made me put it at the top of my curiosity list – where it remained for 14 years. Then out of the blue I hear from Rory Ridley-Duff, who was the keyboardist, and he obtained my info through the reissue website. We start a dialog and before you know it I have a cd-r copy of Protos at my doorstep. The only other album I know on the Airship label is Gemini’s Counterbalance, and I did get a cassette copy of that rather quickly after learning of it. Not surprisingly, Protos album has a similar vibe and feel (i.e. underproduced, with lesser quality equipment). However, whereas Gemini is more melancholic and straightforward, Protos is very much a complex effort – like an instrumental Yes during their classic period. But played with early 1980s equipment. I really can’t think of anyone doing this kind of progressive music in 1982 – closest might be The Body Album. Or Sweden’s Autumn Breeze minus the vocals. This was during the heyday of the NWOBHM movement. So wonderfully out of touch this is.

---2/9/26

And that was my last listen, a few years prior to UMR. On this session I'm getting more of a Camel vibe rather than Yes. The Enid is also a good guidepost. The wonderfully-out-of-touch reference above is spot on, as Protos were existing in their own world. While influenced by the 70s, it's not born from it. The music belongs to the cassette culture of the early 80s, where anything and everything goes. The knee-jerk reaction would be to place Protos in the middle of the New Wave of British Progressive Rock movement. However, Protos does not play in that tight, urgent manner we hear from those bands. And the music of Genesis is hard to find here. These guys were following their own lead, and were likely headstrong in getting this out on vinyl in the first place. The amateurish nature of the recording, especially considering the primitive digital keyboards, is more in vogue today than it was in 1982, much less in 2006 when this was reissued. One of those strange forward-looking from a backward-disposition albums.

I didn't mention the live tracks from 1982 and 1983, but they are a worthy bonus additive. The recording quality is from the audience, but is mostly listenable with obvious mastering flaws later in the set. It features four of the tracks from the album plus three others, one original and two are covers from known prog entities.

Ownership: 2006 private (cd-r). This version was put out by Rory Ridley-Duff. It's unique in that the seven live bonus tracks are not to be found anywhere else. This is different than the cd-r Discogs shows. It sports a different front and back cover; has different live tracks and an additional guitarist as well. I'll add it to the site soon. There also exists a manufactured CD that includes two studio tracks not on the cd-r but without the live tracks. Acquired in 2006.

2006 (first listen / review); 2/9/26 (update / new entry)