AMOEBA SPLIT

QUIET EUPHORIA comes seven years after "Second Split" and pretty much picks up where that album left off without missing a beat. What's changed after all this time is the lineup (sort of). While "Second Split" featured six official members with a large number of session musicians, on QUIET EUPHORIA the official count is up to eight members with no guests on board. The band's sound has always revolved around the jazzy keyboard tradeoffs of Alberto Villarroya López and Ricardo Castro Varela only now there is another top player on board and that is IagoMouriño who only sat in as a part-time guest last time around. The keyboard sounds are expansive and cover all the expected retro sounds ranging from the moog, Hammond organ, electric piano, vibraphone as well as good old-fashioned traditional piano. Add to that, band has retained the heavy brassy jazz sounds as well with stealthy action from saxophones (tenor and soprano), the trumpet and flugelhorn.

As with the previous album QUIET EUPHORIA follows the classic vinyl years' playing time, in this case just a smidge over 40 minutes. Fortified with six feisty tracks, this time around the band upped the tempos a bit making this album rock a lot more than the rather dreamy mid-tempo processions of "Second Split." What remains constant on all of AMOEBA SPLIT releases is a keen perfectionist detail to the compositional fortitude, an obvious love of retro classic prog which in this case is firmly rooted in the world of the idiosyncratic world of jazz-fusion that emerged in the English city of Canterbury and was propelled onto the world's stage by the likes of Soft Machine, Matching Mole, Caravan, Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates, National Health and Hatfield & The North. AMOEBA SPLIT is very faithful to those that came before but offers enough innovative takes on the style to make this a refreshing musical experience that builds on the traditions of the last half century.

This is an all instrumental affair like "Second Split" and given the lack of vocals to offer the whimsical side of the Canterbury Scene, AMOEBA SPLIT instead offers classically infused jazz-fusion workouts that tackle a wide swath of the progressive jazz-rock world while keeping that Canterbury warmth alive and kicking. The album's title track starts things out slow and brooding with a sombre piano roll belying the jazz-rock to come but once the horn section kicks in the larger than life interplay of brass and multiple keyboards display a fascinating interplay of musical motifs playing together to form a larger than the sum of parts brilliance. The album remains in an upbeat mood for the majority fo the playing time and it's not until the closing "No Time For Lullabies" that the mood dials down a little and offers a more sombre piano-based approach that follows suit from the opening aspects of the album.

Seven years is a long time to wait for a band to unleash its next chapter of musical masterworks but QUIET EUPHORIA was definitely worth the wait with excellent classic Canterbury sounds brought to life in the modern world with an impeccable production and mixing effort and a wide range of tones and timbres that perfectly decorate the Canterbury jazz-rock underpinnings. It's clear that this style of classic prog is in no danger of dying out any time soon and AMOEBA SPLIT has been instrumental in breathing new life into this most beloved style of progressive jazz-rock. QUIET EUPHORIA is a brilliant instrumental album that will get your retro prog juices flowing. Excellent! Will we really have to wait another seven years for the next album? Lord i hope not!

4.5 stars but i'll enthusiastically round UP!

One of the reasons for these long delays between albums seems to be that the members of this band are studio perfectionists with large swaths of tones and timbres all polished smoothly like a diamond into a sparkling production-rich extravaganza. Whereas the debut featured a lineup of five with a brief cameo guitarist, SECOND SPLIT goes above and beyond the call of duty with a new roster of six band members and another eight guest musicians adding all kinds of supplemental sounds that give SECOND SPLIT a much more robust plentitude of musical fortitude. Of the five members of the debut, only four have returned for round two with the most notable difference between the two albums being that vocalist / flautist María Toro has left the band and SECOND SPLIT features no vocal parts at all. This album is exclusively instrumental which allows for more complex instrumental interplay to unfold.

While the band's primary underpinning centers around the dueling keyboard parts of Ricardo Castro Varela and Alberto Villarroya López, the addition of the new member Rubén Salvador on trumpet and flugelhorn brings AMOEBA SPLIT's sound even further into the world of jazz-fusion and add yet several guest musicians who contribute violin, viola and cello, likewise the already rich musical entourage is fortified by elements of classically infused chamber rock. The other new member Eduardo "Dubi" Baamonde took over Toro's flute duties but also serves as a tenor sax player so in essence with the exception of the vocal parts, SECOND SPLIT pretty much takes the template laid down on the debut release and takes everything to the next level.

Keeping more in line with a classic album's playing time of over 41 minutes rather than the bloated hour plus playtime of the debut, SECOND SPLIT offers a more sophisticated approach that sounds like the perfect mix of classic 70s moog and vibraphone infused jazz-rock fusion and fortified with all the warmth and familiarity of classic Canterbury sounds that range from those unique chord progressions, psychedelic overtones and light, breezy musical passages that offer just enough hooks to keep your senses enthralled but laced with enough hi-brow complexities to give your more intellectual sensibilities a stellar workout. Given the lack of lyrics, SECOND SPLIT doesn't provide the comic whimsical relief that many a classic Canterbury act would excel in and instead delves into the meaty compositional staples that make this subgenre of the world of jazz-fusion so endearing and enduring.

With only six tracks, four of which are more than eight minutes long, the music is on the mellow side with plenty of musical motifs allowed to develop slower and slowly unfold. Tracks like "Those Fading Hours" are light and fluffy like musical representations of clouds slowly shapeshifting in the sky as they hover at glacial speeds above. Other tracks like "Clockwise" and "Backwards All The TIme" are a bit more upbeat with stealthy bass grooves, jazz-fusion grit and robust horn sections that are brass rock in essence only steered into the retro vaults of classic Soft Machine's instrumental jazz classics of the early 1970s. Although i loved the band's debut i think i love this one a tad bit more simply because i find their idiosyncratic take on the Canterbury jazz scene is best suited for instrumental interplay. No sophomore slump here. This is excellent musical mojo strutting itself in full Canterbury regalia!

This album explodes into an exciting ride supported by a rhythm section with a bass loaded with a melodic, imposing, sometimes enhanced with a distorted effect and constantly evolving groove. Also, notice how the rhythmic inserts of the guitar are placed to mark the accents with few but effective chords, but above all pay attention to the refined melodic embroidery of the keyboard which expands and enrich the already excellent bass lines. Music also shows colorful horn arrangements with rhythm changes and beautifully played keyboard sounds in a Canterbury dress. The musicians are given the freedom to perform solos, and so are allowed to shine individually.

There is a constructive and compositional constant, a very coherent line, but also an enlargement and a deepening towards each theme, so that the jazz parts sound even more jazz, the Canterbury contacts are decidedly clearer, all the purposes and proposals have become coherent, and more robust. The great and skillful use of wind instruments leads to orchestral jazz sounds, sometimes in the classic jazz-rock style, sometimes with a greater reference to the big bands of the twentieth century. However, a certain catchiness of the themes remains firm, although the arrangements are always elaborate and rich. Also occasional dissonances give additional volume and RIO touches, proto-prog feeling also sneaks into the melodies and all this together forms a masterpiece of progressive music.

The entire work is developed around fantastic melodies, here in great shape both on a strictly technical level and in terms of compositional taste. The album flows rapidly alternating valuable instrumental sections, halfway between jazz fusion technique, prog, and some caressing folk melodies. The album is strong in every respect, the songs have a melodic feel on the one hand, and yet not less demanding. On the contrary, the band acts in a complex way, be it in relation to the song structures themselves or the instrumentation. Long and complex instrumental pieces, which blend psychedelia, jazz, rock, classical references, and that difficult-to-explain note typical of the Canterbury movement, are never boring, on the contrary, they sound agile and fluid. The instrumental presentation is of excellent workmanship and allows us to better appreciate the multitude of themes, and counterpoints contained within it. Describing this album means peeking into the lavishly decorated pieces, where the musicians translate all their knowledge and skill into a musical context, loading each piece with strangeness, layering the arrangements, and zigzagging the melodic paths.

A lot of time has passed since their last album, seven to be exact, but I have to say that the wait was worth it, with this album the band reaffirms its place as one of the best bands in the world and delivers another masterpiece that will definitely, and with every right, resonate into the world of prog and jazz rock and become an inevitable classic of this music.

Without moving a millimeter from their style (a jazz-rock with classical influences, elegant and vigorous, a 21st century update of the Canterbury scene), the Galician band is able to offer a set of very inspired songs, with a very coherent structure, great timbric richness and, above all, very well performed.

Although the inheritance (or homage) of bands like Soft Machine, Caravan or Hatfield And The North can be perceived, the language and musical lines are so unquestionably of their own that you get that feeling of listening to something you know, but that at the same time is new and refreshing.

In short, this latest album by Amoeba Split is a solid addition to their discography, and I think it confirms them as one of the contemporary references of the Canterbury scene. A personal and original reinvention of progressive jazz-rock, musically creative, emotionally balanced and skillfully and sensitively executed.

1. "Quiet Euphoria" (7:18) what starts out a little bland (with slow lower register piano note play for the first minute) suddenly breaks into quite the jazz classic--with almost a big band feel, thanks to the horns. The bass, drums, and vibraphome really get a groove on over the second two-thirds of the song. I LOVE it! (And I love that vibraphonist Israel Arranz has not been promoted to a full band member.) The sound clarity given each and every one of the instruments is nothing short of astonishing. And I marvel as I listen to the unusual, "old" effected synths, bass, and keys. And thank you, THANK YOU, for recording the drums without that horrible gated effect! This is the way drums are supposed to sound! Even the kooky, laughter filled ending is both fitting and engaging. (14/15)

2. "Shaping Shadows" (5:20) Opening with a Japanese shamisen-sounding instrument, the song graduallly morphs into a very cool, gently relaxing vibe. Then, at 1:30, when the horn section joins in, the music takes on an almost like an old BURT BACHARACH lounge jam feel (if Burt, in fact, ever jammed, that is). I love the heavily-effected "old style" sound of the keys and guitars as the trumpet solos. And, me, such a sucker for the trumpet: I am in heaven! Great Latin drum stylin', too! Like our favorite comfort foods, this one just has a great feel to it. In the fourth minute I hear a little relaxed DAVE STEWART-like sound coming from the keys while the synth and drums go native. Then the PAUL DESMOND "Take Five" horns bring us back to center for the finish. Magical! (9.333/10)

3. "The Inner Driving Force" (5:59) Despite the horns above (which open the song soloing as if in a processional for some mediæval king), and the initial MILES DAVIS Sketches from Spain feel, I hear a kind of combined CHICK COREA-VINCE GUARALDI piano foundation to this song. Great interplay between the soloists in the fourth minute. (8.875/10)

4. "Divide and Conquer" (3:02) opening with an odd high-pitched electric-horn-like synth squeaking, the drums and band enter with a very SOFT MACHINE-like sound palette. As the musical groove gets established I'm hearing things that remind me of early British band NUCLEUS, THOMAS DOLBY, and even HOMUNCULUS RES (the Casiotone soloing). Nice weave. Very cinematic. (9/10)

5. "Thrown to the Lions" (7:23) Very pleasant modern Canterbury sound and feel to this one--not unlike some of DAVE NEWHOUSE's recent songs, or even a little bit of old MILES DAVIS. That rolling bass play coupled with the Fender Rhodes keyboard is killer! Reminds me of 1970s DEODATO. When things settle into a more laid-back combo format in the fourth minute, they sound more like Devonshire band MAGIC BUS's releases of the 2010s. I love the flute play and then the band's dynamic interplay with the horns. Man! The bass and drums are so synched in! Cool flute and wah-ed Fender Rhodes interplay in the sixth minute! (Weird ending: as if the drummer got caught in the springs beneath his snare!) (14.25/15)

6. "No Time for Lullabies" (11:05) The opening two minutes of this one sound almost like a piece of classical music.. Such poise and deliberation! Then, beneath the alto clarinet, the piano begins to roam and flourish a bit--signalling a move into the realms of jazz. Electric guitar and synthesizer noises are companioned by the drummer's play on his kit's tom-toms before tenor saxophone joins in as the lead instrument. Do I hear some Coltrane riffs at the end of the fifth minute? Vibes join in with more prominent bass play as drums add cymbal play and synths continue to add their subtle magic. Synthesized trumpet and flugelhorn play off one another over ominous pipe organ cords in the seventh and eighth minutes. This is nowhere near the kind of music I was expecting--though there is something here that seems to tap into not only both John Coltrane's and Miles Davis' end-of-life albums but also the spirit of those early SOFT MACHINE/ROBERT WYATT albums. Just when I thought the song was winding down--with some lullaby-like percussion instrument playing alone, a gentle piano and flute duet starts back up and then takes us out with an eerie sonic "sound-check overload" type of synth sound. Weird! Though this was not what I was expecting, I definitely love it; I find myself totally in awe of the unusual avenue of expression explored here. (19.5/20)

Total Time 40:07

I love the fact that the band has been able to keep the exact same lineup of members since their 2016 release, Second Split. It is, in fact, nothing short of amazing. Though the music here feels more rooted in old, classic styles of the lounge and early jazz-rock fusion jazz movements, I am impressed with the courageous use of odd synths and stylistic shifts within each of the songs. In fact, I am blown away by the subtle integration of old styles and sounds into these very original yet-familiar (and comforting) feeling compositions.

A/five stars; a full-blown masterpiece of original Jazz-Rock Fusion--one that feels as if it is paying homage to many of the key shakers and movers of the 1960s and 1970s jazz-rock fusion movement.

And from the get-go, Amoeba Split has the quirk and the knack and tenacity to fit the mold of my personal favorite Prog idiom. "Dedicated to Us But We Weren't Listening" is a great introduction indeed. Happy start for maximalismo. They fill every nook and cranny in your headphones, most notably driven by synth and organ (rightly so, I'd suggest).

Soft female vocals head off in the quieted "Perfumed Garden" performed by flautist María Toro. Very modern feel, despite the majority of the classic instrumentation. It should be noted that not only are keys the dominant force, but the guitar specifically is mixed surprisingly low throughout, in my opinion. Regardless, everything is working together, again, to fill your headphones totally. It will keep your attention, in the least. All picks up in the middle section of this track, not unreminiscent of middle-era SOFT MACHINE (i.e. post-WYATT, pre-true-blue-Fusion). The latter half is soft but optimistic.

"Turbulent Matrix" is a much welcomed shift, the beginning of which is very jazzy [the whole song is jazzy haha], like a cool Post-Bop. And around the 2-minute mark we finally hear some guitar in nice soloing. Certainly still in a sort of Canterbury style. Most notable is the muddy and fuzzy bass playing here, of course reminiscent of Mr. Hugh HOPPER. Around the midpoint is this very lovely synth solo. And the build at the end should appease (it does fall into something that reminded me of "Stolen Moments" which was lovely).

"Blessed Water" didn't immediately impress, but around 8 minutes, there is a slight shift, but only for a moment. And then *wham!*, 10 minutes in and we get a huge burst. Enough to yank me over to the side of the track? No, but [the part was] satisfactory in and of itself.

A Hatfield-style sub-minute interlude is found in "Qwerty"! Well done! The synth and organ is once again the driving force, but in MILLER-meets-STEWART fashion the guitar is thankfully riding right alongside. Wonderful. And that opens immediately into the 23.5-minute epic "Flight to Nowhere", starting with psychedelic wavering then nice, simple guitar lead atop dancing piano arpeggiation. The saxophone section around 5:30 is excellent and the section it introduces is very nice. Complex rhythmic something going on here, too. Definitely picked things up. Good track.

While the 21st century has seen a revival of the genre, most of the new releases have been from the classic artists like Soft Machine, Gong, Caravan and Robert Wyatt but a scant few younger bands have also gravitated to this unique jazz-rock style that sounds like no other. Emerging from the most unlikely setting of A Coruña in the northeastern province of Galicia in Spain, the band AMOEBA SPLIT took a liking to the whimsical jazz-rock brand of progressive rock. While the band formed in 2001 and released the first EP in 2003, AMOEBA SPLIT wouldn't see a full-length release until 2010's DANCE OF THE GOODBYES which took the three tracks presented on the EP ("Blessed Water," "Turbulent Matrix" and "Perfumed Garden") and added three additional tracks including the highlight of the album, the near 24 minute monstrosity of "Flight To Nowhere" which takes a journey through four distinct sequences.

AMOEBA SPLIT pretty much borrows from the Canterbury greats of yesteryear meaning the lush jazz-rock passages of Caravan and Soft Machine, the psychedelic transcendental qualities of Gong along with other English expressions from folk, rock and jazz. What you won't find whatsoever in AMOEBA SPLIT's sound is anything remotely Latin influenced thus eschewing all Spanish homegrown genres such as flamenco and Italian derived symphonic prog. Likewise all lyrics are in English sung by María Toro whose voice is a bit on the shrill side and one of the weakest links in the band's overall approach but she is also the flautists and delivers some delicious emotive outbursts on the wind instrument. The six compositions are mostly vocally dominated with instrumental passages but the outstanding "Turbulent Mix" is where the true virtuosic prowess of the instrumental interplay is allowed to soar.

In the end, DANCE OF THE GOODBYES is a rather mellow and tender affair and rarely percolates past the mid-tempo range. It's resonates as a sort of standard vocal style of jazz with the technical delivery of the Canterbury flavors that served the classic artists of the scene so well however for my money AMOEBA SPLIT plays it rather safe perhaps fearing to tread too heavily on this genre that is a sacred cow to most hardened proggers and much like a cow in India which is allowed to park itself wherever it desires, this band seems to feel that it has to tread lightly around the English sensibilities and never adds much to the style in terms of unbridled creativity. Nevertheless, AMOEBA SPLIT displays a passion for the Canterbury that few have had since the 70s except for a scant few of dedicated artists. While i appreciate the respect for the style, i was hoping to hear some interpolations of flamenco, Spanish classical guitar or even some zarzuela elements but as it is, this band managed to create a rather compelling debut release.

The end result is an intriguing, relaxing trip through jazz-rock realms with just a pinch of psychedelic pizzazz. A solid effort all round - I wouldn't put it above the debut album, but it certainly makes me want to keep watching the Amoebas to see where things go next.

1. "Dedicated to us, but we weren't listening" (3:50) opening with some GONG-like effects and then adding some melodic ALLAN GOWEN- or STEVE MILLER-like keys, smooth RICHARD SINCLAIR-like bass, and PYE HASTINGS- or PHIL MILLER-like guitar and you've got yourself a melange of Canterbury Scene musicians making . . . quirky Bohemian Canterbury jazz!? (8.75/10)

2. "Perfumed garden" (9:43) opening with the breathy voice of María Toro is, I must admit, a bit of a surprise--a welcomed one, as it turns out. The closest thing I can come up with this music is today's INNER EAR BRIGADE or REGAL WORM. There is SANTANA-ness to the instrumental section in the fourth and fifth minutes, but then the music breaks down into a slow, smokey torch singer lounge jazz not unlike ANNE PIGALLE or KOOP. But the flute-led instrumental section following María's vocal is Canterbury, pure and sublime. However you categorize the music of this song, let's all agree on one thing: it's gorgeous! (19.5/20)

3. "Turbulent matrix" (10:47) the superlative music that all artists Canterbury would be making today if they were to do it all over again. This is a gorgeous piece of fun, melodic, quirky, even flawless jazz. Incredible arrangements, tight cohesion, and fantastic drumming, all built over two piano chords! (20/20)

4. "Blessed water" (12:26) opens with sensitive, plaintive solo piano before Mellotron, bass, and the delicate voice of María Toro enter, continuing the same emotive pattern and theme, the music has a bit of ANNIE HASLAM-JON CAMP RENAISSANCE feel to it, even into the slightly built up instrumental section--which quiets down for the arrival of the alto sax--who lays down a beautiful solo. María gets the next turn, this time with flute, over some psychedelic guitar play and JOHN TOUT-like piano. A slightly heavier force enters as ELIANA VALENZEULA-like vocal passage of María's plays out. There follows a nice medium-yet-insistently-paced section over which electric guitar and saxophone perform very nice solos. The bass, drums, and piano are so smooth, so together! Everybody starts pushing the intensity up one notch at a time so that in the eighth minute things are peaking just before a ninth minute lull in which María returns to a sensitive SARA ALIANI (LAGARTIJA)-like voice, but hen she finishes the band launches immediately into a full-on blues-rock exposition in support of the electric guitar. Remember THE DOORS?! Big 'tron choir supports the next section as the song plays out over the final two minutes much like CARAVAN does in the orchestra-supported second half of "L'auberge du Sanglier/A hunting we shall go/Pengola/Backwards/A hunting we shall go (reprise)." Brilliant! Brings me to tears! (24/25)

5. "Qwerty" (0:49) did we mention that María plays a mean flute? Fun uptempo Canterburified jazz. (5/5)

6. "Flight to nowhere" (23:39) (44/50) - I. Endless magic spell -- those could be considered GONG-like sounds and effects in the opening section with a similar STEVE HILLAGE guitar effect to the lead guitar as the music falls into step, but as soon as María begins singing I am once again brought back into the realm of torch singer lounge jazz. Magic spell indeed! - II. A bleeding mind -- I don't really know where one section begins or ends but suffice it to say that a musical passage with crazed multi-languaged or clipped vocal dispersals lying beneath the music begin and continue over a span that I'm guessing might be representative of "a bleeding mind." - III. A walk along the tightrope - IV. Bubbles of dellirium

Total time 61:14

Five stars; one of the best Canterbury style albums I've ever heard or reviewed, old or new; a true masterpiece of joyful, creative, amazingly well composed, performed, and recorded music.

More mature and completely instrumental, this album sees Amoeba Split explore the more inventive and jazzy side of their compositions, which they generally only did on the shorter instrumental tracks on their first album ('Dance of the Goodbyes'). The longest tracks on that first album contained vocals which dominated those songs, requiring them to have a more rock-oriented structure and leaving only a few places in the arrangements where the band could really shine. Here, freed of the need to back up a singer, the organ, flute, horns, and bass can lead, producing a great jazzy freewheeling yet clearly Canterbury-inspired music. My favourite tracks are the longer ones ("Clockwise", "Those Fading Hours", "About Life, Memories, and Yesteryears"), although there really is not a bad moment on this album. Unlike the first album, which was very mixed (even on the same tracks) here the quality is very consistent throughout. There is another great nod to the Softs in one of the titles too ("Backwards all the Time"). Those who know the Soft Machine will be able to hear the influences throughout the album, including some fuzzy organ and bass solos. However, none of the music is derivative, and the band have their own style, which is not at all pretentious. At the end of the album, you want to hear more. So, while there are clear similarities in style of composition between this album and the predecessor, particularly on the instrumental side, this album is the more advanced and a much better listening experience. I give this album 8.6 out of 10 on my 10- point scale, which translates to 4 PA stars.