TRIP TO INNERSELF (E)

Trip To Innerself by Siddhartha is the first progressive album from Turkey that I’ve ever heard. There are probably more progressive bands in Turkey, but if you realize that this cd was recorded in the summer of 1998 and mastered in New York some ten years later, you may conclude that it wasn’t easy for Siddhartha to get their music released. Finally, a new American label decided to take a chance. The line-up of the band consists of Özgür Kurcan (guitars, vocals), Ege Madra (guitars), Ulas Akin (bass), Völkan Yildirim (keyboards), Orkun Öker (keyboards) and Kaan Sezgin (drums). The title track is an instrumental. The music is in the vein of Hawkwind, but these guys bring their own cultural inheritance to the table with a more modern sound. Lots of psychedelic influences but still powerful and melodic music, played surprisingly well. In the second track, you'll undoubtedly hear some southern European folk influences and a guest vocalist with a pleasant voice. Desert is a track with an atmosphere from the mid sixties; the use of solely acoustic guitars and the dreamy voice of Kurcan adding to this laidback feel. Baroque is at first a beautiful symphonic piece in the vein of German prog bands like Janus and Anyone's Daughter, while the second part features the same melody but a third keyboard player is added to enrich the sound even more. Lots of echoing guitar sounds at the start of Nervous Breakdown followed by instrumental music in the vein of early Eloy. It's a bit more psychedelic with lots of soloing, mainly on one chord and after extensive laughter, a short vocal piece and then back to guitar solos on the probably three most used chords in pop and rock music. The Eloy sound returns in Beyond Destiny and Kurcan as well with his dreamy voice. Original changes in key are quite okay and prevent the listener from losing touch. Although there are nice orchestrations and a piano, I can’t hear the necessity of a third keyboard player, while the same three afore-mentioned chords are played in all guitar solos. Distant Cry reminds me of the more psychedelic pieces by Porcupine Tree. The weeping electric guitar and spacey keyboards emphasize the fact that the music is meant to be psychedelic! A beautiful symphonic last part with lots of keyboard and piano sounds. The last track of the album is sung by female vocalist Nil Karaibrahimgil which is certainly not the best track. Half singing, half speaking as in a prayer, while the background music is psychedelic as well as somewhat ‘underground’ with some South European style influenced piano soloing, followed by wah-wah guitars. The Eloy sound returns once more and this time spoken words by a male voice. After a short silence the album is rounded off by a beautiful symphonic theme that we heard on the album before.

Overall Trip To Innerself is an interesting album because it shows progressive music is alive almost in any corner of the world! A nice addition to ones collection for all those interested in collecting prog from all over the world, but as well for fans of prog the old-fashioned psychedelic way.