Road Trip is a Psychedelic journey conceived as a solo project by Dave Hulatt, an expert musician who has played with various international bands and artists. Dave has played alongside luminaries such as Nick Turner or Dave Anderson from Hawkwind and with the band The Dream Circuit who performed at HRH Prog a few years back. The new album “Merry Go Round” was released via Epictronic / Wormholedeath Records on January 21, 2022 and contains 9 tracks ranging from 5 to 7 minutes. The album opens with “Cracks In Space” featuring a solid session with leading bass lines and granite guitar riffs intertwining with the keyboards. The vocal is dynamic and epsressive, alternating solo and other choral parts, with the piece enriched by continuous tempo changes. The atmosphere is dark at times, with good lead guitar inserts and long instrumental sections. The title track “Merry Go Round” begins with a dreamy intro with arpeggios and a warm vocal, with the intensity increasing as the minutes pass. After a softer first part, in the central part it becomes harder, with distorted guitars and a good instrumental section. Between continuous tempo changes, the track closes with the last vocal verse. “Station In The Sky” reminds us of the ’70s prog conorities, with a pleasant intertwining of guitar and keyboards and a YES-style vocal. The guitar offers good cues in the first part, with the keyboard orchestrations in the background and the song is enriched by tempo changes and intricate melodies. In the second part it becomes darker with the guitar in evidence, and then closes. A delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio opens “The Light Of Perfection” to which is added the piano and a more ballad-style rhythm session. The second part of the piece is more elaborate, with a good acoustic guitar solo and keyboard inserts, a very intense and delicate passage at the same time. We are in the middle of the album with “The Maze” that rhythms on harder sounds, between guitar riffs that intertwine with synths, with continuous tempo changes. The track goes from harder parts to symphonic openings, reminiscent of the sounds of the early ’70s, with the guitar in evidence. The choral vocals are very engaging, and the song flows pleasantly, enriched by good mixes between guitar and keyboards and leading bass lines. The longest track on the album “The Rabbit Hole Of Time” features an intro with a pompous synth and good guitar cue. A blend of 70s sounds and Dave’s personal touch, with a Genesis-style passage in the first part, to then develop a good instrumental with the leading guitar. Mainly instrumental it is an intense and well-made track that takes us back in time. “The Trip” again features tougher rats, especially in the guitar riffs and with a tighter rhythm session, with the synth doing a good job in the background. A track that incorporates the influences of bands like Genesis with the artist’s personal traits, creating an engaging and energetic song with excellent electric guitar and synth cues. Deep and dark sounds characterize “Times Gone By” where a prolonged guitar solo guides us for the whole duration of the track. Very intense and with a melancholy atmosphere, it presents a softer and more linear sound that dampens the tones after the previous processed tracks. Closes the album “Welcome To The Dark” which offers a long intro with layered voices before going live with guitar and synth intertwining. The atmosphere An elaborate and obscure track, which has an added value in the tempo changes, with the sounds and vocals that add an aura of mystery to the piece. A good album, in which the artist plays all the instruments and sings, giving life to a Prog album with references to the 70s and a personal touch. The rhythmic session is solid and the intertwining of guitar and keyboards are the extra weapon of this record, which manages to transpose the pleasant atmosphere of the past to the present day. A listening recommended for all lovers of classic Progressive Rock sounds, with long instrumental sections where the guitar is the protagonist and the keyboards offer good cues.
Tracklist
1. Cracks In Space (06:57)
2. Merry Go Round (05:19)
3. Station In The Sky (04:46)
4. The Light Of Perfection (05:49)
5. The Maze (05:21)
6. The Rabbit Hole Of Time (07:09)
7. The Trip (06:10)
8. Times Gone By (05:10)
9. Welcome To The Dark (06:51)
Lineup
Dave Hulatt / All Instruments and Vocals
A really good write up , Dave. Can I get a copy off you ?
How much are you selling it on CD, for ?
I’m not Dave but you can find a copy on the Epictronic official website, click on the link at the bottom of the page and find it on the label’s website. Cheers