Kolyadin, Gleb: Gleb Kolyadin

The keyboard presence in Iamthemorning, Gleb Kolyadin has now branched out with this eponymous solo effort - an album which highlights his individual skill, while turning a strong spotlight on a series of collaborations. With thirteen tracks in all, this conservatoire trained musician uses four pieces in particular to emphasise his strengths alongside a selection of guests. The first of which is Mick Moss of Antimatter, the fragile pinpricks of Kolyadin’s quiet but beautiful piano the perfect setting for Moss’s vulnerable but proud voice, as “Astral Architecture� builds a stunning structure. Marillion’s Steve Hogarth lends his voice not once, but twice, “The Best Of Days� simply made for the picture painting style of a singer who sounds like no other. “Confluence� on the other hand is quite the masterstroke, as it showcases another side to ‘h’, his enigmatic spoken word contribution immediately changing the mood and altering the focus of this entire album. With Kolyadin showing amazing patience behind the piano, the piece comes together at a crawl, but in a way that causes you to almost physically lean into the music in anticipation of what is to unfold. Seven minutes of building atmospheres suddenly explode, but in a cleverly contained manner, before quickly pulling everything right back in again.

The last of the guests is the only non-vocalist, Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess facing off against his host in a keyboard versus piano dual where both come out on top. Coming from a more exuberant background, it’s no surprise that Rudess is maybe the more ebullient of the two, his keyboard work more like an electric guitar solo in its style and placing within the song, but again, it is an insightful change of focus.

With Nick Beggs, Gavin Harrison, Theo Travis, Evan Carson and Vlad Avy in the ‘backing band’ rest assured however that each of the non-guest pieces are just as sharp, just as creative and just as captivating. Often the framework begins on a jazz footing, but with classical and progressive embellishments; “Insight�, with a jazz piano beginning, soon opening out into a wild clash of drums, brass and keys as something much more contemporary springs into play. “Kaleidoscope� adds a more 70s vintage prog-space twist, flute leading from the front, before the short “Eidon� ends on a pensive, thought provoking echo of notes that live in the mind for long to come. With the addition of “Into The Void�, which is a more obvious piano play, and the complimenting pair of “Constellation/The Bell� and “Echo/Sigh/Strand� where poise and precision are king, the standard simply never drops.

Solo albums by their very nature can often be more than a little egocentric, with the main protagonist scratching an aural itch that others may not be so keen to hear. Here however, Gleb Kolyadin has masterfully straddled both ends of the spectrum by creating an album that sounds far removed from the band he’s already known for, while still possessing more than enough jumping on points to satisfy existing fans of his work.

Track Listing
1. Insight
2. Astral Architecture (ft. Mick Moss)
3. White Dawn
4. Kaleidoscope
5. Eidolon
6. Into the Void
7. The Room
8. Сonfluence (ft. Steve Hogarth)
9. Constellation / The Bell
10. Echo / Sigh / Strand
11. Penrose Stairs
12. Storyteller (ft. Jordan Rudess)
13. The Best of Days (ft. Steve Hogarth)

Added: July 18th 2018
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Gleb Kolyadin on bandcamp
Hits: 1242
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]