MYTHOPOEIC MIND

Mythopoetry APOLLON Jazzy symphonic prog for those who like a bit of Yes with their Caravan.

Mythopoeic Mind is a new project from Steinar Børve, saxophonist and founding member of the RIO/Canterbury Soundinspired Panzerpappa. Wanting to do something more symphonic, he’s gathered his current bandmates and players from various Norwegian groups (including Gentle Knife and Pymlico) and worked up a collection of material partly inspired by his love of Tolkien. Mythopoetry is the result. It’s an interesting blend of styles. Prey is a full-on dash into the prog-jazz thickets, but with some strong melodic bass playing and a vocal that has, dare we say, hints of a-ha about it. Train Of Mind’s electric piano, bubbling sax and sense of swing brings the Canterbury vibe, vocals more strongly recalling Motorpsycho’s Bent Saether. The most successful tracks are two extended songs. Instrumental Mount Doom starts as a guitar-led Frippesque discursion, like running through a forest at night, lantern swinging to and fro, before a quickening of tempo halfway through brings organ and a neoprog string synth to the fore. In contrast, Sailors Disgrace establishes an initially mellow, acoustic-driven theme, then develops and embellishes it, moving from triumph to resignation.