Detailed Reviews [Quantum Fantay - 2017 - "Tessellation of Euclidean Space"]

Prolusion. Belgian band QUANTUM FANTAY has a history that go back more than a decade, and have steadily released studio albums from 2005 and onwards. A grand total of seven studio albums have been produced over the years. "Tessellation of Euclidean Space" is the most recent of these, and was released in the summer of 2017 through German label Progressive Promotion Records.

Analysis. For anyone with an interest in the creation of instrumental space rock, they are met with the same obstacle there as progressive metal bands meet when they start out: Some giants have already more or less claimed the playing field, to the extent that comparisons towards them rather comes with the territory. For instrumental space rock, one of those giants is Ozric Tentacles, and Quantum Fantay is a band that will probably always have to live with comparisons towards that band. This isn't solely due to the massive influence of the Ozrics, but also because Quantum Fantay does use many of the very same effects and developments in their material. A vast array of cosmic sounds and effects, gliding, fluctuating and soaring soft keyboard textures and layers, haunting and emotional gliding guitar solo runs, delicate flute solo passages and a steady backbone of drums and bass that will occasionally switch to more of a dub-oriented foundation. Even the use of exotic, possibly Arabian inspired world music details are fairly similar. Quantum Fantay does add a bit more bite and darkness into their excursions however, with both keyboards and guitar providing a more brooding undercurrent at times. And while the occasional reggae tendencies are similar, this band is the only one of them that features occasional nods in the direction of jazz in addition to everything else. Being of a similar nature to another band isn't always a bad thing though, and when I also note that Ozric Tentacles perhaps have developed into more of a smooth and safe unit over time, Quantum Fantay is the band that still includes the oddball sounds and unexpected subtle twists that makes their music less clinical and arguably more enjoyable as a whole. Even when they take a slight left turn into interludes of a more ambient mode they still sound vital. And while I didn't have too many goosebumps-inducing experiences when listening through this album, I was kept attentive throughout. Which is always a good thing, as this more than indicates for me that this is good music.

Conclusion. Instrumental space rock with a liberal array of sounds and effects is what Quantum Fantay provides, yet again. An instrumental, cosmic journey, with a slight taste of the exotic and arguably even jazz tossed in here and there. Music very much of the Ozric Tentacles variety, but as far as such ventures goes this is a quality one, an elegant, swirling cosmic journey for travels of the outer and the inner space. Obviously an album I have noted down as a merited check by anyone with an interest in the aforementioned Ozrics and bands of a similar kind.

Progmessor: October 31st, 2017
The Rating Room