Alberto Rigioni - Dystopia - Progressive Voyages Review PV126 and Gayle Ellett & The Electromags - The Painted River Of Light PV118

These 2 albums come from US prog label MRR (Melodic Revolution Records) and as the label is always seeking out new artists as they emerge, it also is home to several established acts and continues to work with them as they explore new musical adventures, as is the case here with this most unusual album from Italian Bass Maestro Alberto Rigoni, who for this latest release is joined for fellow bass Titans, Stuart Hamm (Joe Satriani and Steve Vai amongst others) and Michael Manring (Montreux, John Gorka and Michael Hedges amongst his own)

The album is pretty unique in that musically, it very Bass centred and there is very little guitar work although there are plenty of Bass acrobatics on offer here, The album is entitled A Progressive Bass Journey and it really is a display of virtuosity by three of progressive musics most eminent bassists,

The music is consistently good often very interesting and dextrous whilst being challenging tot hear, You really miss the work of a lead guitar, to give some sense of normalcy, However In this instance it makes you listen more intently,in order that you hear what the musicians are seeking to convey more fully.

It's not entirely clear who plays what on each track one suspects it is an amalgam of musicians that each add their parts to each track, Although I could be very wrong on that score. It is certainly a most different sort of album one that is designed to challenge normal conventions, This in itself adds to its progressive and unusual sound and ethos, As it is I cand find much to appreciate and enjoy here, the drums mainly from Primus member Tim Alexander are spot on.

There are a total of 9 tracks on the album all are instrumental with no vocals whatsoever, it is a groove driven project which symbolises the circle of life, Birth, Life death and subsequent regeneration again.

Info here: www.albertorigioni.bandcamp.com

Gayle Ellet And The Electromags- The Painted River Of Light

This is The 3rd release from the Californian instrumental trio, the other being Shiny Side Up(2022l and Friends in (2023).zthe band hail from Toponga Canyon in California.

This new albums works on a multiplication of levels as its theme is essentially a sound voyage down an imaginary river through a canyon where one can imagine being high on mushrooms allows you to experience an array of hitherto unknown colours as you travel the canyon.

Certainly the music takes you on a most fascinating journey of sounds, from the mellotron and moods of the opening section through to the serene acoustic guitars that follow before the Sitar guitar lead into a frantic hammond organ part, with suitable impressive moog notes and a wild guitar line or is it Warr guitar from Mark Cook? , This leads into an almost countryside hoe down section that really grabs the attention, the track is a great opener and certainly leads you to wanting more from this most entertaining Trio who make grandiose musical explorations In their well rounded sound,

Well fret not for there are three further tracks to the album the next being Frequency Modulation, This one begins with intermittent bursts of radio stations mostly country hoedown type sounds before some very interesting Sitar guitar lines and fiery electric leads play and vie for your attention,, there are mellotron interludes aplenty here too , Intertwining with the guitar lines and bass, The tempo changes dramatically (This is Prog after all!), The track is an exciting and uptempo one at times, Whilst at others it is a little more mood driven, Either way it is an excellent track which really entertains you, I really like it.

Third Track is The Illuminating Sands Of Time, This has a very moody opening section with Mellotron strings and sounds, Deep bass lines that come courtesy of Mark Cook, With the very Moodies like mellotron and the fine fluid guitar of Gayle Ellet that both sound glorious, This track has a really great sound to it I was actually reminded of Wind and Wuthering era Genesis especially in both The Hackettesque guitar and the Tony Banks like keyboard sounds, Especially the synthesisers, all very good stuff indeed, this is a staggeringly great track,.

The final track of the album is The Rhodes Is Discovery, this one is the albums shortest track at 10:31 in length, This begins suitably enough with Rhodes and Hammond Organin a mid paced stroll with a languid yet fluid guitar line, There is a jolly very Greenslade like electric piano melody plated that i really like,

The guitar line here is good too as the tempos increases and a sweeping synthesiser melody plays before some excellentvsol9mbass and more keyboards play, I like how this track switches sound both up and down with an energetic bass line throughout all these changes, acting as a constant anchor point to the track, great interactions between keyboards and guitar in this great track.

I Find very much to enjoy here, As it is a most glorious sound overall that takes in a variety of moods and textures. Some epic playing during itS 48 minute duration. The sound is excellent and very clear, A most engaging listen that I fully recommend to anyone.

Info here: www,gayleellertandtheelectromags.bandcamp.com

Author John Wenlock-Smith Sunday 1st March 2026.