Maschine
Naturalis

I think that it is when getting to the fourth track Hidden in Plain Sight that this album really take of with the male and female duets, the upbeat very positive style makes you smile when you hear it. It is at that moment this album really comes to life for me. It is then I come to realise what a strong album this one really is. The sound is excellent, it feels like they have worked through their songs well and the vocals are great, it has what you need. And don’t just take my word for it; the internet reviewers are almost more positive than they usually are with really high ratings for this one.

The second album of Maschine follows three years after their acclaimed debut and revels around a theme of natural events like earthquakes, tsunamis and such things. But it isn’t a disaster album, and not a disaster of an album either; it has a more positive spin on things, which is great. The British quintet plays progressive rock music with their own approach towards things, it clear that some old and new greats are inspirations but they also add some more pop and jazz elements to their musical canvas making it something quite exciting to listen to.

They go for the long tracks, like most progressive bands do and they could also do with some trimming of those tracks as it feels like there are parts that could be cut away from most of them. Not to say that those parts are bad because they aren’t it is just that a different and a little more direct approach would have benefitted this album from my point of view. I think they take the longer way around a little too often. Nevertheless, it is a strong album and one that I can recommend to the one who wants to think and really take in the music rather than just lazily listening to it.

I like the theme for this album and I like the music, songs like previously mentioned Hidden in Plain Sight, Make Believe and the ending tsunami song are all really great. It is an impressive and recommended album, and another top-notch album released this November that has shown to be a great month for music in an otherwise pretty dull musical year. They could have made it slightly shorter but it is still a very successful album, I think you should buy Naturalis.

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