Detailed Review [Kaseke - 1983 - "Sonum & Poletus"]

Line-up: Ain Varts - guitars; Riho Sibul - guitars; Tonu Naissoo - keyboards; Peeter Malkov - flute; Priit Kuulberg - bass; Andrus Vaht - drums; Mart Metsala - synthesizers (1983 only - all tracks: 1-9); Margus Kappel - keyboards (track 1); Olav Ehala - keyboards (track 3); Erkki-Sven Tuur - keyboards (track 9)

In reissuing the USSR's Progressive Rock masterpieces, the people at Russian (major, btw) "Boheme Music" recording company have done us all a great service. "Boheme" is based in Czech Republic, and the CDs (actually these are picture-discs only, with excellently printed booklets, etc), manufactured in Austria by DADC and by the best Czech factories, have a wonderfully clear sound typical for a high quality digital re-mastering made from analogue tapes. But, the main service of the company is that its truly progressive activity on the threshold of the new millenium is a real phenomenon on the nowadays "Prog Front line", and actually - the most important event within the Progressive Rock movement since the beginning of the "dark '80's decade". While the majority of progressive bands in that time were exploring the new canons (in all the 'proper' meanings of the word), i.e. rejecting the Classic canons in favour of Neo accessibility-acceptability to please a new generation of music lovers, Soviet groups, being as if naturally far from any commercial things, have been doing their progressive work according to the same Classic canons that you prog-heads so missed then and miss, sometimes, up to now. Kaseke was just one of scores the Estonian and hundreds USSR / C.I.S. bands that were / are working the way we love so much in early programs by Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, etc, though most of Soviet and post-Soviet groups have their own really original style, including even RIO-oriented performers. "Bohemian version" of all Kaseke's saga contains both EP ("Sonus") and LP ("Poletus") produced by this unique band and released on the only USSR label "Melody" in 1981 and 1983. For a band - obviously inspired by the best 'progressive examples' of the '70's, yet not influenced by any bands at all - that seems to have considered themselves traditional instrumental Symphonic Prog, Kaseke surprisingly had in their music a slight fusion touch too. Most of the CD compositions begin like a rifle shot, and the pace and intensity never let up. The music most often is keyboard-intensive, with thick, distorted guitar sawing through the arrangements to keep them vibrant. It's a unique mix of a few different stylistics, a mix that is simultaneously delicate and thunderous. That mix is one of the things that makes Estonian Kaseke such a fascinating band even nowadays. This album is a real progressive killer that you will be listening to a great many times because there are lots of unique things here that you've never heard before. Just try to begin discovering old yet such unbelievable new musical horizons with "Boheme" and you'll get a real prog-treasury there. Feel free to e-mail me at vit@progressor.uz to fling invective at my (quite an experienced prog-)head if my praising of the majority of "Bohemian" bands is just 'patriotic' rubbish. "Bohemian" official web-site: http://www.bohememusic.com/. Please send your orders to: bohememusic@iol.cz