Release Date: August 22, 2025
Label: earMUSIC
If you are familiar with the artists, you may be speculating
about what the song will sound like before you hear it. It is instrumental,
ambient progressive music from start to finish, albeit with a few vocals. It
certainly conforms to the instrumental heading.
This may be quite an auditory journey if you are passionate
about music without words. In the same instance, you may be open to exploring
something entirely different, which is also good.
Rothery made the choice well. Quaeschning performs synthesizers,
vocals, guitar, and drums on the recording. The guitar parts give it the
progressive rock elements, so it’s not too far out on the ambient side. With
many years of experience playing guitar for Marillion and other projects, he
was a good fit to complement all the keys and synths.
Every track segues into the next, making it sound like a vast,
ever-changing composition with five proper tracks. Two contain three parts, one
contains two parts, and the whole comprises 10 parts.
One way to briefly explain what you hear is atmospheric ambient
layers of keys and synths with additional key guitar parts and very few vocals.
It is primarily and purposefully instrumental to focus on the dual talents of
these two gentlemen.
It is not even close to being Marillion, but it can mirror what
Tangerine Dream sounds like in the more ambient textured layers. Layers is the
descriptive word here; many parts meshed into each other. It is an incredible
challenge to listen to what is going on. And I say that in the most positive
and supportive way for this amazing musical project.
You will hear spacey parts and changing tempos, and in some
instances, I could imagine the music being used in a film or documentary. The
epic sound, tempo, and rhythm shifts make this a listen you will be glued to
until it's over.
The most challenging aspect of this type of music is keeping a
listener interested and energized with anticipation. Remember, this is not
background music; these are bona fide compositions of musical excellence.
While Bioscope has not broken new ground with Gento, it is a giant leap
for the artist to step out of the familiarity of their main bandmates and
comfort zones.
Steve Rothery and Thorsten Quaeschning have created a marvelous musical journey with Gento. Fans of their respective bands will enjoy this extensive collection of compositions. This is as progressive as it gets for such a project outside the realm where they usually reside.
Keith “MuziMan” Hannaleck- Progressive Music Reviews Reviews Founder
June 19, 2025
Tracks:
1. Vanishing Point (Pt. 1, 2 & 3)
2. Gentō
3. Kinetoscope (Pt. 1 & 2)
4. Bioscope (Pt. 1, 2 & 3)
5. Kaleidoscope
