Short Reviews [Distant Mantra - 2023 - Getaway To The Abyss"]

This 2023 album was the second release by the trio of Malgorzata Maleszak-Kantor (vocals), Przemyslaw Piotrowski (bass) and Kovy Jaglinski (guitar, keyboards, drums, vocals), and I see from their website that they are soon touring through Bulgaria, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland so they obviously have a reputation in Europe and listening to this album I understand why. There is no doubt that Lynx Music have long been at the forefront of progressive music in Poland, and here we have another album which takes us into a new world. It is always nice to find a band's site is available in English, even more so when there is a press pack to download (hint to all bands, make a reviewer’s life easy, we like that), and I note they describe themselves as a post-dream rock trio. I am too old to use new labels I don't fully understand, so let's just say the music has the melodic bass laying down the foundation, then there are a few layers of guitars, loads more synths and keyboards to provide a wall of sound, and then clear English vocals cutting through everything. I note they are not listed on PA, but that is surely an oversight, as I would have been happen to include them in Crossover when I was on the adjudication panel. This is music which has an underlying edge, an iron bar behind the velvet, so that while one may think this is sweet and innocent there is some definite bite. If it were not for the vocals this could all be too much, in that the schmaltz would have just too much sugar, but the vocals cut through before our teeth go on edge. I can see this being picked up by fans of early Porcupine Tree or no-man, while there are also loads of pop elements with Coldplay having a part to play, so much so that if this was played to many they would not think they were listening to prog and could have a similar cut through to the likes of Radiohead (I often wonder what would have happened if people had realised they were prog and not rock). This never sounds as if it has come from Eastern Europe and is a dreamy synth-laden prog/pop album which is highly accessible and just gets better the more it is played.