[Review] Esthesis – Watching Worlds Collide

Esthesis is the project of the French multi-instrumentalist Aurélien Goude with whom he proposes Progressive Rock sounds with Jazzy and Heavy influences. The second album “Watching Worlds Collide” was released on August 19, 2022 and contains 7 medium-long tracks featuring 3 artists in the lineup and some guests. The album opens with “Amber” characterized by a solid drumming and a hypnotic bass line, with synth and piano inserts on which the warm and expressive vocal interprets the lyrics with passion. The intensity increases with the passing of the minutes, transforming itself in the central part with granite guitar riffs and tempo changes that accompany us throughout the instrumental section in the second part of the track. An intricate rhythmic session and solid and elaborate sounds characterize “Place Your Bets” alternating softer passages with more energetic openings. An intense track, with a dynamic vocal, enriched by tempo changes and good instrumental textures that mix the various facets of the sound of the project. in the final part a good keyboard solo concludes the piece in a musical crescendo. “Skimming Stones” opens with the percussion and the piano, with the deep vocal and the song that develops with more modern sounds and at times an electronic drumming. A good mix of traditional sounds and others fresher and more modern, creating an intense and passionate track with some more melancholic traits. A good use of the violin offers a solo cue in the second part, adding a symphonic touch to the sound. The notes of the piano and a penny drumming open “Wandering Cloud” with the vocal which, as in the previous ones, is intense and passionate. a mixture of various genres and styles, with a softer first part, then increasing the intensity in the central part bringing the sound to a more Heavy genre. Massive guitar riffs and wind insets characterize the central part, and then develop an elaborate instrumental section in the second part enriched by tempo changes. Solid drumming and jazzy melodies characterize the intro of “Vertigo,” the shortest track on the album, with a funky touch given by the keyboards and guitar. Good solo textures and keyboard inserts, with the rhythm session in continuous evolution between tempo changes and a hypnotic and supporting bassline. Entirely instrumental, it shows a more virtuous side of the sound of the project with technical solos that follow one another and refined plots. “57th Street” is the longest track on the record, a 12 minute epic that opens with a long intro and Jazzy sound and a warm and expressive vocal. In continuous evolution, it combines Prog traits with continuous tempo changes and long instrumental sections that enhance both the compositional and executive techniques of the artists involved. The long duration is fully exploited to develop the piece, engaging from start to finish and with refined sounds and passages. The album ends with “Through My Lens” where the artist experiments in the intro, and then develops a solid and intense track with a good mix of guitar and keyboards. The vocal is dynamic and expressive, and the continuous tempo changes allow you to pass from softer moments to more Heavy openings, passing through the more Progressive sounds, with the common thread of the artist’s personal traits. An album that shows how the artist does research and loves to explore different musical horizons, touching different genres and styles, joining them thanks to his personal touch. An artist who is managing to carve out her space thanks also to the proposal of her own personal style, played with technique and thanks to refined compositions. An album recommended for lovers of the new sounds of Progressive music and an artist who gives a future to the genre, offering his own modern and original style.

Tracklist

01. Amber (06:46)
02. Place Your Bets (07:23)
03. Skimming Stones (05:12)
04. Wandering Cloud (06:00)
05. Vertigo (05:00)
06. 57th Street (12:00)
07. Through My Lens (08:07)

Lineup

Aurélien Goude / Keyboards and Vocals, Lap Steel Guitar (4, 6), Guitar (2), Harmonica (7), Drum/FX Programming (3), Bass Programming (6)

Baptiste Desmares / Lead Guitar
Marc Anguill / Bass Guitar
Arnaud Nicolau / Drums

Guests:
P-Horns section (1, 2, 4, 5, 7) / Maceo Le Fournis (tenor saxophone), Axel Foucan (trombone), Yannis Beugré (trumpet)
Mathieu Vilbert (3, 8) / Violin
Vincent Blanot (4) / Banjo, Electric Banjo, Mountain Dulcimer, Percussions

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