Flame Dream - Elements

Pressing: Switzerland
Year: 1980
Genre: prog
Packaging: digipack

Brand new cd put out by the band. 

This is the remastered version of their second album, ELEMENTS, originally released in 1980. Like Out In The Dark, ELEMENTS was recorded with the line-up of Pit Furrer (drums, percussion, tapes), Roland Ruckstuhl (piano, organ, keyboards, sequencer), Peter Wolf (vocals, flute, oboe, saxophone, percussion), and Urs Hochuli (bass, bass pedals, vocals) at Aquarius Studios in Geneva which was co-owned by Patrick Moraz. The recording and mixing engineer is Jean Ristori, also known for his excellent work on Patrick Moraz solo albums, most notably "The Story of I". On ELEMENTS no guest musicians took part, and so there are no guitars to be found on the album.

The re-release comes in a four-panel digipak with a 20-page booklet. The graphics inside the booklet are nicely designed, expanding on the cover artwork. The booklet also includes all lyrics and band photos. Three of the five tracks are over ten minutes long, while only the closing title is quite short at about a minute and a half.

The album opens with the ten-minute track "SUN FIRE". It begins with a crackling sound like a fireplace, followed by electronic tones and a drum rhythm resembling archaic rituals. The piece slowly develops into a progressive track whose piano sounds recall Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds – though only briefly, as the piece soon transitions into a section dominated by keyboard instruments. The musicians here move stylistically somewhere between British prog rock and German rock of the 1970s. Then the vocals enter, accompanied by various sound effects and flute as well also oboe passages that enrich the sonic texture. The voice is integrated in a very special way, but the melodies and expansive instrumental parts more than make up for it. Many stylistic elements recall '70s bands, and there are also jazzy interludes, yet FLAME DREAM's own signature is clearly recognizable.

Sparkling grand-piano sounds, like waves lapping on a shore, introduce the 13-minute "SEA MONSTERS". Here, complex passages meet melodic sections. At times, a glimmer of Camel or Genesis shines through. The long track is filled with extended instrumental passages offering a number of solos.

Next comes the seven-minute "EARTH SONG" which opens with a cappella vocals. At first, it features early 1980s-style sounds, but after about a minute and a half, it turns again toward progressive territory. Peter Wolf's saxophone adds a slightly jazzy yet refreshing note to the piece.

The following long track, "A POEM OF DANCING" runs for just over 13 minutes. It opens orchestrally, with the use of oboe, but soon shifts back into a prog rock atmosphere. Here again, the influence of early Genesis can be heard. The vocals in this piece are perhaps the most effective on the album. The band also inserted sections reminiscent of the many years later soundtrack "Mission: Impossible" theme, while elsewhere, FLAME DREAM unfold a wide musical landscape full of expansive instrumental parts.

Finally, the band closes with the brief 1½-minute track "SAVATE? Nosé!" Here, they adopt a jazz-rock approach, largely thanks to the saxophone. The piece ends with the sound of splashing water, presumably recorded in a bathtub.

It is wonderful that FLAME DREAM have now also remastered and reissued their second album ELEMENTS from 1980, making it available on CD for the first time. On ELEMENTS, the musicians combine melody, rhythm, and intricate composition in equal measure. It remains an excellent album with lasting appeal even today.