TRIGON

30 Jahre Traumzeit

I've not heard a new Trigon album since '2011' (released that year), so it was a most pleasant surprise to receive this latest set, titled '30 Jahre Traumzeit' to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. Trigon are a German instrumental guitar/bass/drums trio with psychedelic, jazz and prog influences. The tight-as-a-knot bass/drums rhythm section is at all times forming a solid foundation for the laser focused yet exploratory guitar of Rainer Lange. Trigon's music resides on an axis where controlled composition and freeform expression meet.

The trademark Trigon heavy psychedelic and prog infused jazz rock style is on full force display throughout this 13 track set, with Rainer's cosmic guitar cranking out beautiful solos that rock out, yet he is all times expressing himself, introspectively musing, telling stories... you can feel it coming from the heart. I recall in my earliest Trigon reviews from the mid-2000s commenting that the band would benefit from the addition of a vocalist. I take that back... Rainer's guitar more than adequately fills the vocal role.

The set opens with Zündfunke, a jazzy funky rocker with a psychedelic edge that trips around the outer reaches of space. Other highlights include Mysterious Masterplan, with its mesmerizing psychedelic rocking jazz and spacey ambient vibe, not unlike a jazzy Guru Guru. The 8+ minute Moshi Moshi is one of my favorite tracks of the set and features mind-blowing guitar. It's high energy psychedelic jazz-funk as Rainer rips off amazingly fluid runs that are melodic, kick ass jamming, and soar out into space. Pulsar is another favorite, being a cosmic space rocker that strikes a compelling balance along the meditative/heavy rocking axis. Relikte der Regenbogenschlange is another standout, featuring some of Rainer's most introspective solos, bringing to mind a sort of space-ambient Hendrix vibe. And the rest of the album is chock full of chunky energetic rockers with hip-shaking grooves, and easy paced cool grooving psychedelic jazz fusion.

Rainer shared with me that health issues have largely explained the band's low profile over the past several years. '30 Jahre Traumzeit' demonstrates the power of the human spirit to overcome challenges and come bouncing back with renewed creative energy, often better than we were before. HIGHLY recommended to fans of instrumental rock that is both heavy and contemplative. The CDs should be ready in October. Keep your eyes peeled to the Trigon web site at: http://trigon.in

Jerry Kranitz - Aural Innovations 24. October 2018