Short Reviews [Baris Dai - 2022 - Ambient Conditions, Pt. 2]

Here we have the second EP from Dutch guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Baris Dai, and what an absolute delight it is from beginning to end. His debut, ‘Ambient Conditions, Pt. 1’, mixes the sound of modern prog acts like Plini, David Maxim Micic and Intervals with ambient elements and soundscapes, and he felt he needed something more energetic and uplifting atmosphere in this EP, bringing in styles from Symphonic Prog to Progressive Metal, and influences from the likes of Camel, Dream Theater and Haken. To say this is a delight is something of an understatement as while I believe a ‘proper’ drummer would have added to the overall feel there is little else here to pick fault with, apart from the length as it is only 13 minutes long. I wonder if Baris also feels that length is an issue as it is now possible to get both this and the debut EP as a physical release which is 27 minutes long. Baris has a wonderfully fluid style, and while he concentrates strongly on melody, he is also very conscious of the overall arrangements and style, and the use of tubular bells in the background of “The Rebirth is Complete” is simply inspired. He can be slow and reflective, creating plenty of space within the overall sound, or he can be frenetic and heavily layered, moving at speed as he switches from Andy Latimer into something which feels far more modern and much farther into the prog metal arena. That he does this seamlessly within the same song yet still making musical sense is inspired. This is quite an introduction to his music and I certainly look forward to hearing more. He needs to build a full band behind this, both for recording and live performances, and I am sure we will be hearing a lot more from him in the future as this is a delight from beginning to end.