Due to the many amazing instrumental albums releasing this year, I started waxing nostalgic about my favorite instrumental prog albums. I feel like I’m forgetting some here, but this is a list of at least what immediately comes to mind. I consider an album to be instrumental if it is not technically a soundtrack of any type, and also if it has very little in the way of vocals or simply uses vocals as a harmonization technique; so a couple of these albums do have a track or two that have some vocals, but the spirit of these albums is still to tell a story or convey emotions through instrumental music. I also did try to keep this to one album per artist.
Also, check out my reviews this year for On the Raw, YSMA, Only Echoes Remain, The Vikram Shankar Orchestra, Josh Kay, The Fierce & the Dead, Richard Barbieri, and Protodream to discover the many amazing instrumental prog albums that have been released in 2017.
______________________
10. Pink Floyd – “The Endless River”
This final Pink Floyd album gets flack for supposedly not living up to the classics, but I myself consider it to be a delicate and beautiful swan song for the band and for Richard Wright. It consists mainly of material from “The Division Bell” era that was crafted into an instrumental album of some truly mesmerizing ambient musings from the band. I personally love this album.
______________________
9. Riverside – “Eye of the Soundscape”
After the passing of guitarist Piotr Grudziński, my favorite band decided to release a compilation of their ambient efforts, along with some new songs. The music is delicate and electronic, but retains that signature Riverside sound. The results are haunting and emotional, and honestly quite heart-rending.
______________________
8. Teeth of the Sea – “Master”
Teeth of the Sea’s “Master” is progressive electronic to the core. It features elongated structures, lots of creepy noises, and looping saxophone. I love the pulsating grooves and the climactic moments.
______________________
7. Colin Masson – “Isle of Eight”
I’ve been a fan of Colin Masson for a long time, it seems. His intricate Oldfield style guitar work is so sublime to me, and his spacey themes add so much personality. This particular album also features some seafaring tones that I love, and I still am in awe of his excellent licks and tone setting.
______________________
6. Hostsonaten – “Summereve”
Fabio Zuffanti is the genius behind many Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI) masterworks, and this is my favorite of his Season Cycle albums. The music feels very much like the cover looks: like the setting of the sun in all its glory and the waning of summer. The music is colorful, keyboard and violin driven, and completely majestic. Check out all the Season Cycle albums, though.
______________________
5. Bushwhack – “Bushwhack”
I hope all of you are familiar with Earthside by now. Bushwhack was their original name or incarnation. I stumbled upon this album at a local CD exchange, and I bought it because of the instruments listed in the booklet. The music is highly conceptual with lots of world music influences and also what I would call heavy prog. It’s not as metal as Earthside’s recent debut, but it is complex and absolutely stunning at times with loads of personality.
______________________
4. Javier Sepúlveda – “Pulse of Nature”
I reviewed Javier’s album last year, and it still impresses me every time I hear it. He kindly provided a physical copy for me, and it definitely gets a workout. The music celebrates Javier’s home country of Chile and the beautiful landscapes found there. You can feel the love and passion he has for his home country through his deft guitar work, awesome riffs, and massive movements of sound.
______________________
3. Lunatic Soul – “Impressions”
Mariusz Duda’s side project Lunatic Soul has produced some of my all-time favorite albums. His third album was a look back at the first two albums, only in impressionist form. “Impressions” visits the haunting pain and visceral emotions found in this tragic story, and the album features one of my favorite instrumental tracks ever, “Impression VI”. This track has one of the most emotional, heartbreaking climaxes ever; and it should definitely be heard on a great stereo system.
______________________
2. Joseph Magazine – “Night of the Red Sky”
I fell in love with this one and only album from Joseph Magazine years ago. Hailing from Poland, the band technically plays progressive metal, but with the melodic darkness and potent emotions of their Polish brethren. The music is ambient and subtle with lots of punchy segments and near perfect melodies. The philosophical musings here don’t always line up with my beliefs, but the depth of the longing here is what absolutely floors me. The album does end with a song featuring vocals, and it serves to provide a momentary voice to the yearning on this album.
______________________
1. Mike Oldfield – “The Songs of Distant Earth”
Speaking of yearning, Mike Oldfield has many amazing instrumental albums, but “The Songs of Distant Earth” is the one that feels very much part of who I am. The longing for a place of peace beyond this evil place is intensified by the path this spiritual album takes. Instead of just wanting an escape, this album seeks to reveal who we truly are and the change that can take place when we embrace that. “Ascension” is probably my favorite instrumental track ever written. This album is based on a book of the same name written by Arthur C. Clarke.
______________________
“One Of Several Possible Musiks” by Kerry Livgren
“The First Seven Days” by Jan Hammer
“Phaedra”/”Rubycon” by Tangerine Dream
“Ommadawn” by Mike Oldfield
“A Blessing of Tears” by Robert Fripp
“Shimmer” by Thom Brennan
Endless River/Impressions/Eye of the Soundscape (from your list)
LikeLike
I do love Ommadawn and Tangerine Dream.
LikeLike
My favorite instrumental album is: AMAROK from Milke Oldfield
LikeLike
I haven’t heard that one, to my shame.
LikeLike
Camel – The Snow Goose
Focus – Hamburger Concerto
Mike Oldfield – Incantations
Robert Reed – Sanctuary
LikeLiked by 1 person
I considered adding The Snow Goose, as I love that one.
LikeLike
“Music for Airports” Brian Eno.
LikeLike
“Day of Radiance,” Laarji
LikeLike
Have loved prog/rock instrumental music all my life. 3 to highlight that have given a lot of enjoyment
1) The Enid – In the region of the summer stars (their original and best album but the band is still going strong, several incarnations later, 40 years on)
2) Sky – Sky 2 (best of several very good albums in early 80s)
3) Rob Reed – Sanctuary 2 (one of 2 tributes to classic Oldfield, made with a lot of love)
LikeLike
Rob actually just emailed me a copy of that album after he read this blog. I’ve never heard it.
LikeLike
Thanks for the list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
– Ommadawn – Mike Oldfield
– Equinoxe – Jean-Michel Jarre
– Zoolook – Jean-Michel Jarre
– Oxygen – Jean-Michel Jarre
– Phaedra – Tangerine Dream
– Amarok – Mike Oldfield
– Silk Road III: Tunhuang – Kitaro
– Heaven and Hell – Vangelis
– Albedo 0.39 – Vangelis
– MCMXC a.d. – Enigma
– Most albums by Carbon Based Life forms
– An Accident in Paradise – Sven Väth
LikeLiked by 1 person
Universe Zero – 1313
Sinoia Caves – Beyond The Black Rainbow
Anglagard – Viljars Olga
Goblin – Roller
Grand General – Self Titled
Progression By Failure – Sonic Travelogue
Pymlico – Guiding Light
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good message.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
Amarok by Mike Oldfield is insanely great.
“New Axes to Grind” by the Hellecasters is superb
“Into the Unknown” by Jeff Kollman
“American Matador” by Marc Bonilla
“Electric Warrior/Acoustic Saint” by Lanny Cordola
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Songs of Distant Earth was the first Mike Oldfield album I ever listened to. A perfect introduction for the sonic experimentation on his first album Tubular Bells.
If I had to pick a few favorite instrumental albums, I’d choose FM’s “Direct to Disc” and Uli Jon Roth’s “Under a Dark Sky”.
LikeLike
“Chill out” by The KLF
“Voyage 34” by Porcupine tree
“Amarok” by Mike Oldfield
LikeLike
Steve Rothery – “Ghosts of Pripyat”.
LikeLike
Yes, this feature is pretty out of date for me. I love that Rothery album, too.
LikeLike
Thanks for your post, some of the albums are unknown for me, I will look them for sure. I would like to mention some Bands that are instrumentals at their most or all works: Sky, Mannheim Steamroller (known as Fresh Air), Ozric Tentacles, Liquid Tension Experiment …
LikeLike
Two albums that don’t get near enough love are Franco Leprino – Integrati… Disintegrati [1977] and Luciano Basso – Voci [1975].
LikeLike