Babyblaue have given us a high rating on this review.
Here’s the raw translation from google to give you the gist đ
Das Rad is called a relatively new project by the bustling Martin Archer, which one on these pages already because of his solo works, but also as a creator of the formations Engine Room Favorites, Story Teller, Inclusion Principle, Transient v Resident, Juxtavoices and especially the Orchestra of the Upper Atmosphere knows. A few years ago, this formed a trio with the guitarist Nick Robinson and Steve Dinsdale (radio massacre international and Archers bandmate at the Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere), with the goal of progressive instrumental rock music to create (quote: ‘driving motorik music’), the same time should include free improvised and more complex composed. After sporadically performing live for a while, the trio released their debut album on Archers Discus in November 2018.
A colorful and multi-faceted instrumental program can be found on The Wheel, with occasional krautrockigen, Canterbury-like and crimsonesk-frippery reminiscences. A quite extensive instrumentation starts here probably the band started as guitar-sax-drums-trio. Electronically amplified and acoustic guitars, all sorts of wind instruments, drums and percussion, and various electronic sounds, keyboard sounds and effects equipment mainly produce the music. The result is a mix of punchy modern Prog driven by Dinsdale’s drumming, freer electronic tinkering, jazz-rocking, extensive retro-ingredients and a little experimental-avant-garde (avant-prog).
A little Krautrock Ă la New! and Harmonia, or related motor-repetitive rhythm patterns, a dash of Canterbury, especially minimalist e-piano patterns in the spirit of soft machine (you can hear “Canterbury Steps”) or corresponding sax or flute lines, a few mellotronartige patterns, a good shot more recent King Crimson, embroidery and Frippsche soundscapes – the retro-ingredients – are mixed here with jazzy sax lines, sonorous flute pads (also recorder), all kinds of echoing and resounding guitar excesses, dense electronic braids, chamber-progressive reed horns, sonorous key carpets and innumerable tonal, shimmering, honking, hissing, fiependen, growling, whispering and whining instrumental ornaments. Sometimes very rhythmic, sometimes shapeless-floating, this music glides along, sonorous and voluminous, sometimes very powerful and dynamic, but often also playfully meandering or hypnotic-cosmic wafting (listen to the concluding “London Steps”).
“Das Rad” offers a very colorful, retro-modern Proggemenge with a lot of reverb and atmosphere, which Proggerinnen and Proggern, the edgy instrumental Progs appreciate with strong electronic components and jazzy impurities, should appeal very much.