| # | Artist | Song (click to play) | Album | Year | CD label |
| 1 | Gordian Knot | Code / Anticode | Gordian Knot | 1999 | Sensory (Laser's Edge) |
| Generally I do not like prog-metal, but, this album is great. Perhaps it is because it has none of the things that bother me about most metal and prog- metal bands - overly dramatic hair-band vocals, cookie monster vocals, and cliche-ridden guitar. This all-instrumental album has great compositions with sometime delicate guitar and sometimes blistering leads. This is basically the project of ex-Cynic bassist Sean Malone along with Trey Gunn (of King Crimson), Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastik Ink) and others. | |||||
| 2 | Science Group | Open or Closed? | A Mere Coincidence | 1999 | ReR (Recommended) |
| A great complex RIO-ish album. Stylisticly similar to 5UU's, Thinking Plague, U Totem. The Recommended catalog mentions that they are following on from Art Bears, Domestic Stories and News From Babel, none of which I have heard. All compositions are by Stevan Tickmayer and Bob Drake. Additional musicians include Amy Denio - vocals, Fred Frith - guitar, Chris Cutler - drums, electronics. If you want to check out the modern RIO sound, this is a good place. The album is loaded with ideas and sounds that will take years for the listener to absorb. | |||||
| 3 | Magic Island | Up and Away | Small | 1999 | Blackberry |
| Magic Island is the lead singer from Surprise Symphony plus Damien Youth. It is all very mellow laid-back folk/psychedelic with light drumming, acoustic guitar and vocals. I am reminded of Syd Barrett and David Bowie. Probably a good album to drift off to sleep to. | |||||
| 4 | Chameleon | Starskater | Turn Century Turn - Space Rock and Psychedelia from Around the Globe | 1999 | Mother West |
| Turn Century Turn is a compilation CD of various space rock and psychedelia from around the globe :-) It is a great CD to discover 13 bands including Chameleon (new on the Mellow label), Ektroverde, Alien Planetscapes, Escapade, Tangle Edge, Holy River Family Band and others... I have the Chameleon album on order after hearing this song. According to the label's homepage: Mother West , all tracks are exclusive to this compilation. Chameleon is related to the band Kundalini, which was also released on the Mellow label. | |||||
| 5 | Present | Ceux D'en Bas - Part 6 - Le Combat | N.6 | 1999 | Carbon 7 Records |
| A new heavy dark album from Univers Zero alums Roger and Reginald Trigaux. Also featuring Thinking Plague drummer Dave Kerman. The album is basically comprised of 3 very long songs, segmented into shorter pieces. Take equal parts of Univers Zero, King Crimson, and Magma, and you get Present. Great stuff, but, not for the faint of heart. | |||||
| 6 | Forgas Band Phenomena | Extra-Lucide | Extra-Lucide | 1999 | Cosmos Records |
| Very good Canterbury-styled fusion from France. The instrumentation consists of sax, keyboards, guitar, bass & drums. The prior album, Roue Libre also featured vibraphone/marimba by Mireille Bauer (Gong). The songs are uplifting, moving through many different moods, and always featuring exemplary playing. It is a bit closer to jazz than standard prog. | |||||