Progressive Rock Review: Traffic Experiment-Vashta Nerada (Doctor Who Theme)

Release Date: November 23, 2013

Label: Indie

Website

Traffic Experiment is a prog rock/art rock band hailing from the UK. We covered the special edition of their Suburbia album last December.After nearly wearing out that album I could not wait to hear Vashta Nerada (Doctor Who Theme) on vinyl. It does not disappoint.

To celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the airing for the popular TV series Doctor Who, the band decided to release their own rendition of the show’s theme with a limited edition 10” vinyl release of 500 copies.

Side A is a stunning instrumental journey titled “Vashta Nerada (Doctor Who Theme),” clocking in at a solid 6:32. Stuart Chalmers, the band’s leader, made sure I got a copy to add to my collection and I thank him for that. Their version features tremendously effective instrumentation that includes a walking bass, layered keyboards interspersed with some beautiful female accompaniment on vocals. The vocals are not a group of words per say just a steady ahhh..ahhh at different points during the track. The effect is like adding another instrument to the mix and it works very well. The B side is a previously unreleased track titled “New Moon Lullaby (things that go bump in the night)” which clocks in at 7:26. Chalmers handles the vocal duties and the music weaves threads of atmospheres that are appropriate for the title. This is a lullaby with a sinister edge to it. This is not to say it’s a creepy tune, it’s actually quite good and it gets the point across, conjuring different images for those with an active imagination.

Traffic Experiment is a very talented group of musicians and they know how to shape and mold a song into a story. 500 copies makes it a rarity right out the gate so I suggest you get your copy, that is if there are left at this point!

4/5 Stars

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Prog Rock Music Talk Founder

May 1, 2014

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Tracks:

Side A: Vashta Nerada (Doctor Who Theme)

Side B: New Moon Lullaby (things that go bump in the night)