The ProgBlog December 2023 playlist

Описание: Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes
Spiral - Vangelis
1984 - Hugh Hopper
Phosphorescent Dreams - Univers Zero
Exsolve - Jo Quail
The Cry - The Cry
Nostalgia for Infinity - Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate
Gudrun - Pierrot Lunaire
Missing Island - Snowdrops
Salighet - Jordsjø
Six Pieces - The Enid
Red - King Crimson
Seven Secrets - Fruupp
Everything I Didn't Say And All The Things I Wanted to EP - Groundburst
Suffocating the Bloom - Echolyn
Natural Elements - Shakti
The Renaissance is Over - Neil Howell
Winterthrough - Höstsonaten
Perilous Journey - Gordon Giltrap
Aria - Alan Sorrenti
No Harmony - Klidas
Longplayer - Jem Finer
Script for a Jester's Tear - Marillion
1984: L'ultimo uomo d'Europa - La Fabbrica dell'Assoluto
The Equatorial Stars - Fripp & Eno
Focus II (Moving Waves) - Focus
Lemures - Balletto di Bronzo
Ricochet - Tangerine Dream
The Story of i - Patrick Moraz
Gryphon - Gryphon
Green - Steve Hillage
Quest for the Stones - Yak
Hungarian Horizons - Steve Hackett
Uomo di pezza - Le Orme
Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Pictures at an Exhibition - Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Oughtibridge - ['ramp]
Stormwatch - Jethro Tull
Stars & Embers - Ison
From Silence to Somewhere - Wobbler
People & Industry - Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan
Manifesto of an Alchemist - Roine Stolt's The Flower King
And Close As This - Peter Hammill
Attahk - Magma
Five Bridges - The Nice
Time Vaults - Van der Graaf Generator
Bedside Manners Are Extra - Greenslade


The playlist kicked off with 'Tales from Topographic Oceans', a ProgBlog favourite which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the beginning of December, and then switched between old and new prog and back again, stopping at all points of the timeline.
Five downloads are featured. 'The Cry' by The Cry was brought to my attention by Sylvie Keller who represents Christine Ott from Snowdrops after 'Volutes' featured in last month's playlist. It's a 2022 release which mixes improvised contemporary jazz and instrumental prog and after reporting that I'd bought the CD, I was sent a list of other Gizeh Records releases and thought I'd listen to 'Missing Island', the follow-up to 'Volutes' which is more structured than the 2020 album, with a firmer modern-classical feel and features Ott on the hand-pumped organ.
Neil Howell's 'The Renaissance Is Over' is a concept album exploring themes of loss, regret, seizing the moment and acceptance delivered as well-produced melodic prog metal and is due for release in February 2024.
'Oughtibridge' is excellent Berlin School electronica which has been in my collection for some time but the Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan release 'People & Industry' was one of this year's Christmas presents. Another electronica album, it's predominantly Berlin School but also includes Kraftwerk-like tracks, befitting its 'music for town planners' tag.
The two new physical acquisitions were both Christmas presents. 'Stars & Embers' is drifty New-Age rather than prog, released in 2023 and Jem Finer's 'Longplayer' is excerpts from the self-extending 1000-year composition for Tibetan singing bowls played at the Lighthouse on Trinity Buoy Wharf in London, presented in a book detailing the evolution of the piece.

As usual, the rest of the playlist is an assortment of music chosen from the ProgBlog collection, covering a wide range of sub-genres.

I hope you find something to your taste