|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shining Pyramid: Children of the Stones
 Here is another band that was completely unknown to me. Shining Pyramid is a London based duo consisting of Nick Adams (guitars) and Peter Jeal (synths, keys). They released their self-titled debut in 2016 and have since followed it up with Children of the Stones, released in the summer of 2019.
The music here is an amalgamation of progressive and electronic, with influences ranging from Tangerine Dream to Camel to Pink Floyd. The disc begins with “Hie Thee Sungates”, a gentle and dreamy soundscape of lush keyboards and synthesizers. It’s a slow moving affair, maybe even a bit Floydy in places. Around the halfway mark the pulsating keyboards takes the music in a slightly different direction while never losing sight of the melody. The title track effortlessly drifts on a bed of tasty keyboards and textured guitar chords while a plethora of keyboard sounds gives “Horses” a very lush sound, that is until the heavier guitar chords makes for a dramatic change. The razor like riffs and pulsating electronics along with some trippy guitar exploits gives the piece just the right amount of edginess. “Machinery of Myth” has a keyboard drenched sound reminding me of something Tangerine Dream might have done while “Sun Loose In The Sky” is a mixture of heavier guitar riffs and electronica. With “Raise the Stars” the sound is more moody and ominous and is quite heavy in terms of atmosphere.
Shining Pyramid have come out with a fine electronic prog album with Children of the Stones. Fans of ‘70s progressive rock should find much to enjoy. Recommended.
Track Listing:
1. Hie Thee Sungates (9:43)
2. Children of the Stones (4:23)
3. Horses (9:48)
4. Machinery of Myth (4:07)
5. Sun Loose in the Sky (3:01)
6. Raise the Stars (8:29)
7. Meadows Starred with Flowers (5:48)
Added: February 25th 2020
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score: 
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1373
Language: english
[  Printer Friendly Page ]
[  Send to a Friend ] |
|
[ Back to the Reviews Index ]
|
|
| » SoT Staff Roundtable Reviews: |
Shining Pyramid: Children of the Stones
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2020-02-25 22:00:45
My Score: 
Although it only arrived in my review pile late in 2019, it would appear that Children Of Stones by London based duo Shining Pyramid was initially released, at least on bandcamp anyway, at the tail end of 2018 and that since then a further long player and single have been released.
No matter the timing, let’s delve into a soundscape that’s part electronic, part progressive, part dreamy meander. With a love of music clearly steeped in 70s mysticism there’s a real classic Tangerine Dream vibe running through the seven compositions that make up this journey. The likes of Anthony Philips or Camel can also been seen as an influence here, as can the the guitar stylings of Steve Hackett, if not the overall sound, and yet it’s the synths that nearly always become the driving force as the keenly constructed melodies slip into place. Oddly, nearly all of the tracks on this album seem to somewhat splutter to a halt at around their midway point before reigniting in a slightly - sometimes vastly - different guise, and often giving the impression that we’ve actually moved onto the next composition, when in reality the soothing synths are merely heading in a different direction as the guitars and programmed beats underpin it all.
It can, at times, cause a disjointed air to be emitted and yet the telepathy between Peter Jeal on synths and keys and Nick Adams on guitar is clearly in place throughout. Whether there’s enough going on to truly excite traditional prog-heads is a little open to question and yet if your ear wanders into a more pastoral but electronica led direction then there’s no doubt that “Horses”, “Machinery Of Myth” and “Raise The Stars” will demand attention, whether through the gentle strums of guitar, floating keyboard motifs or synth-flute waves that wash from the speakers.
For some the whole shebang might just be a little uneventful, with only occasional outbursts of grittier guitar snapping things to attention and yet there’s still a huge amount to get your teeth stuck into, even of the overall vibe can be just a little too similar as we move from track to track. However, as is often the way with mood music, if you’re looking for something a little more relaxed and a little more reserved, Shining Pyramid and their Children Of Stones might just be exactly what you’re searching for.
|
|
|
|
2004 Sea Of Tranquility | For information regarding where to send CD promos and advertising, please see our FAQ page.
If you have questions or comments, please Contact Us.
Please see our Policies Page for Site Usage, Privacy, and Copyright Policies.
|
All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. The comments are property of their posters, all other content Sea of Tranquility
SoT is Hosted by SpeedSoft.com 
|
|
