A while ago I interviewed this promising new Spanish progrock band, shortly after their excellent eponymous second studio-album was released in 2007. When I asked about their plans for a new album, the band told me that they were busy with something different. Well, listening to this new Senogul album, I would categorize the phrase something different as a huge understatement, what a radical change of musical direction! Listening to this new album entitled Aural Impressions Concert For Instrumental Ensemble the band has almost left their blend of mainly fusion and progrock and moved towards a blend of ethnic, ambient, avant-garde and some progrock. I wonder to how many Senogul fans this new Senogul sound will appeal. Nonetheless, Senogul fully deserves an objective musical analysis of their new album, here I go.

In the booklet the band talks about a completely different muscial trend and the music is structured from subjective impressions induced by aural stimuli. Well, to me it sounds like Claude Monet has been Senogul its main composer and the aural stimuli are delivered by a wide range of instruments, including many ethnic instruments from Africa, India and Latin-America: the one moment it sounds folky with accordeon and an electronic bombo (percussion) or avant-garde with piano and weird sounds, the other moment you hear swirling accordeon solo, a mantra female voice or an ambient atmosphere with soaring keyboard layers. The only moments you can enjoy the old Senogul sound are during Swaranjali (final part with King Crimson like organised chaos featuring fiery guitar and powerul saxophone) and De Nooijer (moving guitar and tender Grand piano).

No doubt this is a daring and adventurous experiment that the band loved to do but por favor senores, make progrock like on your previous effort, muchas gracias.

Erik Neuteboom