Aperco
The Battle
Independent Release
2016
Aperco is a band from Tel-Aviv that was formed in 2013, but a pair of cousins guitarist/vocalist Tom Maizel and keyboardist Tal Maizel, who shared a common interest in all things prog, such as Pink Floyd’s darkened ambience, Mike Oldfield’s atmospheric soundscapes and Camel’s cheerful melodies. Joined by Yuval Raz on bass, who’s also related to them and Dor Adar on drums, the band set out to record their debut album a couple of years ago and just managed to release it this year.
Their style is not overtly complicated, and their pretty melodic nature makes them an easy to listen to band, with tracks like the welcoming and cheerful “Focused”, after a pretty typical and overture like intro, sounding a lot like something that Camel or Happy The Man could have come up with.
A track like “Another Day to Live” feels like the most Floyd-like track someone has ever done without actually trying to “clone” the Brits unique style and that’s because they don’t consciously attempt to do so, but effortlessly manage a not too dissimilar ambiance, even if they mostly use keyboards to create their sonic soundscapes. Even when they attempt to go for some lengthier compositions like the dynamic “The Battle”, the drifting “Dissonant Sound Within” or the all-encompassing “Awaken”, which even reprises some of their earlier “cool” musical passages, they do so with an air of authority that seem to come from almost a band of veterans and not some “newcomers”, who are debuting just now.
Very well-done! And if you like 70s styled prog with luscious keys (and the occasional flute), you’re gonna love this one!
Their style is not overtly complicated, and their pretty melodic nature makes them an easy to listen to band, with tracks like the welcoming and cheerful “Focused”, after a pretty typical and overture like intro, sounding a lot like something that Camel or Happy The Man could have come up with.
A track like “Another Day to Live” feels like the most Floyd-like track someone has ever done without actually trying to “clone” the Brits unique style and that’s because they don’t consciously attempt to do so, but effortlessly manage a not too dissimilar ambiance, even if they mostly use keyboards to create their sonic soundscapes. Even when they attempt to go for some lengthier compositions like the dynamic “The Battle”, the drifting “Dissonant Sound Within” or the all-encompassing “Awaken”, which even reprises some of their earlier “cool” musical passages, they do so with an air of authority that seem to come from almost a band of veterans and not some “newcomers”, who are debuting just now.
Very well-done! And if you like 70s styled prog with luscious keys (and the occasional flute), you’re gonna love this one!