Band: Karfagen

CD Title: “The Space Between Us”

Band Website:

Label: Unicorn Digital

Release Date: 2007

Whenever I tell someone I was listening to a Ukrainian progressive rock band I usually get a couple of raised eyebrows. Such is the limited awareness of the music that’s being made there. And once again Anthony Kalugin’s band Karfagen have graced us with another wonderful CD called The Space Between Us. While his work has been plentiful in other genres this is essentially the second decidedly prog outing and handsomely picks up where his previous outing left off. Once again we have a musical offering that is mostly symphonic in nature, sparked some classical influences and more than a little jazzy-fusion moods.

Just for the record, the bandKarfagen was formed by architectural student Antony Kalugin in 1997 while still in school. After a few years of trying to focus on a musical direction, a time that included plenty of commercial projects and New Age recordings, Kalugin gathered nine additional musicians and reformed Karfagen to record that first prog effort entitled Continium in 2005. Here he calls upon most of those same musicians to perform.

This time around The Space Between Us consists of 16 tracks and over an hours worth of music. Most of the tracks stay on the short side, perhaps 2 to 4 minutes with only 2 of them running out to over six minutes. None-the-less the music is clearly progressive in nature with ample musicianship buried in each composition. This is mostly instrumental with lots of starts and stops intersecting some tasty solos. This time around the keyboards take on more of a jazz influence. Compositionally each piece takes a symphonic theme, reworking it a few times interspersed with solos from keyboards and guitars. Again you can expect to hear some interesting instrumentation such as accordion, pennywhistle, and flutes here and there. There are a couple of tracks that convey a certain European street café flair, especially with the use of the accordion. And like before there are lots of compositions that feature Kalugin’s solo piano work, performed here with a decidedly jazzy, classical flair. Most of all there is much more of an over all progressive rock feel to the music. It’s majestic, dramatic and panoramic in scope, symphonic in every way but still showing a strong guitar or aggressive touch when the song seeks to convey that tone. A few of these pieces, even with the accordion sounds, really rock.

Once again, just like on Continium, the arrangements on The Space Between Us are very balanced and smooth, providing a multitude of soft and mellow passages set up against more up-tempo and dynamic sections. It becomes clear while listening that these guys are very familiar with working in the studio. The playing is tight with everyone either providing the solo work or providing the dynamic support for each composition.

If you were one of the ones who caught on to Karfagen’s previous release it goes with out saying that you’ll be taken with The Space Between Us. It takes everything up a notch, the writing, performing, recording and arranging making this release even more satisfying. There is nothing angular or dissonant here; rather the listener is treated to some wonderfully melodic music that strikes a nice transcendent tone.