Sometimes, social media still works. I saw a post from That Joe Payne recently about this friend’s new album. That album was Cephid’s debut called Sparks in the Darkness. I don’t know why, but something intrigued me about the description he provided, and I immediately fell in love with this album. It released on February 9th.
Cephid is the handiwork of Moray Macdonald of the UK. He is a keyboardist, session musician, and freelance composer, as described by his Facebook page. Anyways, he brings with him Graham Brown on drums, Emily Dolan Davies on drums, and Angel Wolf-Black (cool name) on vocals.
This album is both easy to describe and impossible to label. It’s quite simply a fusion of electronic music with progressive rock, but not in the typical fashion where the band adds small electronic accents here and there. No, this is a searing and sweeping electronic work punctuated by real drums, prog rock sensibilities and segments, and this overall feeling of rock and rhythm. This is despite the fact that there are no guitars, and the fact that the primary driving force of the album is electronica and synth melodies.
So, this album doesn’t really fall properly into any specific genre, but it is a perfect synthesis of two genres I love. With that, I have some observations, things that really made me love the album. First, the keyboard performance on this album is absolutely stellar; Moray is a genius of both melody and surging technique. It will leave you breathless at times, and hovering in ambient hope in others.
Second, this is less of a Tangerine Dream or Vangelis style work; it falls more into something akin to Jean-Michel Jarre, or even the likes of M83 or Paul Oakenfold. There is an undeniable sense of coolness that pervades the entire album, but it is also set up in conceptual and meaningful ways, too. Sparks in the Darkness is clearly trying to communicate confident steps forward in the light of uncertainty and change, but I somehow feel like I want to groove and dance even while pondering those themes.
This is one of those albums that maintains a certain level of quality from beginning to end. The album has eight tracks, and they are all great. The first half of the album has some of the tracks that really connected with me the first time. “Worlds Before (1st Spark)” is an example, being a thrilling and beat-heavy piece with terrific synth tones and gentle melodies simultaneously. The next track, “Terminus”, is another favorite for its harmonious vocalizations from Angel, fiery drumming, and cinematic movements that rise in the second half. The first part of the album ends with “Of Promises Broken (2nd Spark)”, which has such a moody and sharpened synth line that rests against darkness and shadows. It’s so good.
The second part of the album begins with another favorite, “Strobe”; this one is layered with techno and distorted textures, and the little hooks it throws are engaging and many. The next track, “With Kindred Assistance” is totally different with its floating and atmospheric style, but somehow it is just as engaging.
The last couple tracks on the album continue to throw twists into the formula. “Dead Hand’s Decree” is, I would venture, more of a progressive rock song than electronic, even though there are no guitars. It is a rousing and exciting piece with various transitions and spiraling fireworks on various levels; I really like the drums on that one, and I love how the second half of the song brings in a brand new melody that feels like it summarizes the whole album. The closer, “The Old Me (3rd Spark)” is wonderful in its own right with how cinematic and ambient it is compared to the rest of the record. In fact, I would say that this is indeed a Tangerine Dream moment in some ways, at least for the first few minutes, because of how spacious and colorful and aura-driven it is. In the final minutes, however, a precise and crystalline melodic lead emerges, and the album ends on a beautifully considered note.
I’ll venture to say that Cephid’s debut is one of the best albums of 2024 thus far. It is equal parts fun and meaningful, thrilling and ponderous. It has a tremendous sense of pacing, balance, and flow; and just when you thought all Moray’s tricks had been used, he brings out another one. I love this album, and I hope it finds an audience.
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Find Cephid online:
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The PROG Mind 