progvisions  review

intro

Actually, I know very little about the band Versa. Through a Facebook post, I came across this Post & Prog Rock band from Victoria, BC, Canada. Found the following information on their page on the BandCamp platform. "Versa was formed in 2006 by Matthew Dolmage, Kevin Grady, Hollas Longton, Benjamin Rancourt, and Anthony Theocharis, who met at the University of Victoria School of Music. The band now consists of founding members Matthew Dolmage and Hollas Longton, and long-time drummer/multi-instrumentalist Jesse Bell." But seeing which special guests contribute to this double album, shows that this is not just any band from Canada, but a collective seriously making its mark. Versa presents an overwhelming calling card with the double album 'A Voyage / A Destination'. These two albums may differ in construction and structure, but they are both full of very varied music of high quality.

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line-up

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review

There is quite a difference in the length of the songs on both parts (discs). 'A Voyage / A Destination Part 1' only has four tracks while 'A Voyage / A destination Part 2' has no less than eleven tracks.

Three of the four tracks on Part 1, which covers the entire first CD, are divided into a number of parts. For example, the opening track 'Pool Of The Naiads' (15:26) is divided into the parts 'i. Down The Garden Path', 'ii. The Girl In The Pool', 'iii. What Have I Become?' and 'iv. Back To The Sun'. The opening 'i. Down The Garden Path' first evokes a fairytale atmosphere with its acoustic guitars, flutes and delicate vocals, but after a good two minutes into the track you suddenly listen to pure Post & Prog Rock with heavy Hammond organ (Lars Fredrik Frøslie) and freaky electric guitars (Eric Gillette). Then with 'ii. The Girl In The Pool' it returns to that fairytale atmosphere that now also gets some influences of classical music through the use of the cello. So a lot of variation, in the polyphonic vocal parts I even had to think of the music of Gentle Giant. In 'iii. What Have I Become?' and 'iv. Back To The Sun' the quiet parts get even more variation through the use of both male and female voices. In that fourth part you can also hear delicate trumpet playing. This combines nicely with the cello and the melodic guitar work. A beautiful opener of a remarkable album. 'Sea Of Vapours' (5:31) is a shorter instrumental track with beautiful acoustic guitars, flute, violin, cello and piano. Especially the flute, violin and cello melodies are beautiful. The fairytale atmosphere lets you imagine yourself in a lush forest covered with moss. 'Lantern Season' (5:23) opens quietly with delicate guitar playing. It has an orchestration influenced by classical music. The use of real strings enhances this effect even more. And the use of the trumpet gives an extra dimension to this beautiful track that also has a calm atmosphere. Then follows a track of almost 27 minutes long. 'Voyage' (26:56) is divided into the following parts 'i. Set Sail', 'ii. Into The Storm', 'iii. Strange Landfall', 'iv. A Prayer To The Sea' and 'v. Ocean From The Sky'. In the quiet first part 'i. Set Sail' the vocals are beautifully sung by special guests Jim Grey and Marjana Semkina. The second ('ii. Into The Storm') and third part ('iii. Strange Landfall') are instrumental. In 'ii. Into The Storm' the intensity of the music is built up very quietly to a kind of climax. There is a nice tension arc in it. The choice of instruments makes the music sound very original. I would describe it as progressive rock with a strong influence of (Neo) classical music. 'iii. Strange Landfall' has a somewhat quieter and acoustic vibe. It also has influences of Folk music. This album has the most original music I have heard in a long time. As a reviewer I am positively surprised. Sometimes the guitars in the vocal part 'iv. A Prayer To The Sea' remind me a bit of Post Rock but personally I describe the music of Versa as progressive music for the open minded music lover. It also has some Neo Classical influences. The singing in this part also reminds me a bit of the music of Sigur Ros. In the last part 'v. Ocean From The Sky' a typical Neo Classical piano accompanies the vocalists. You would think that in a song of more than twenty-five minutes the band would go completely crazy but this is a beautifully thought out composition with original and unique music.

Part 2 of 'A Voyage / A Destination' has a different setup. There is only one track of the eleven that is divided into parts. There are more shorter tracks on this second part. In the first song 'Prelude' (1:39) the piano is the main instrument and is later supported by electric guitars. 'Breaking & Entering' (5:39) has more tempo and an uplifting vibe and beautiful guitar work. The instrumentation is just as surprising as on the first part. Almost all previous mentioned instruments are featured in this track. 'The Seething Bay' (3:49) has beautiful melodies while it has a mysterious atmosphere. The later part is more powerful and has beautiful violin parts. In terms of intensity the band works towards a beautiful climax. 'Flew The Coop' (5:36) is another song with vocals. It contains beautiful violin melodies. The combination of violin and trumpet is also quite original. At the end the electric guitars that I associate with Post Rock appear again. The instrumental 'Lake Of Luxury' (3:19) has wonderful violin parts and beautiful drumming. 'Bury me At Sea' (2:46) is a quiet ballad with beautiful vocals and an acoustic guitar. Later on, the violin and trumpet are added. 'Lake Of Dreams' (2:50) is a short song where, in addition to normal vocals, an opera voice can be heard. 'Ocean Of Storms' (4:26) opens with piano, but soon the electric guitar and violin are added. You hear beautiful melodies in a somewhat classical atmosphere. 'Mare Lamentorum' (2:52) also opens with a classical piano. It is an atmospheric and delicate song that is especially very beautiful and melancholic. Part 2 of 'A Voyage / A Desination' has with 'Artemis' (17:31) a long track that is divided into different parts. Between 'Introduction: The Heavens Up Above Us' and 'Conclusion: The Heavens Up Above Us (Reprise)' you will find the following parts; 'i. Where No One Has Gone Before', 'ii. Faster Than Light', 'iii. The Void Outside / Distant Orbit', 'iv. The Existential Horror of Astrobiology', 'v. Awaken', 'vi. The Void Inside' and 'vii. The Dream Fades'. All parts flow seamlessly into each other. The short 'Introduction: The Heavens Up Above Us' mainly consists of a beautifully acapella sung part. Most parts have vocals, but 'ii. Faster Than Light' is an instrumental prog highlight with beautiful flute and violin parts. 'iii. 'The Void Outside / Distant Orbit' is again a mixture of prog and (Neo) classical music. 'iv. The Existential Horror of Astrobiology' has wonderful guitar solos and the intensity of the music slowly builds to a climax, while 'v. Awaken' has an acoustic guitar, flute, violin and delicate male and female vocals. 'vi. The Void Inside' has an ambient and spacy atmosphere with beautiful delicate vocals and a piano. The last part 'vii. The Dream Fades' opens with a beautiful flute melody before the vocals return. 'Artemis' closes in a classical way with 'Conclusion: The Heavens Up Above Us (Reprise)'. The second CD with Part 2 is closed with the atmospheric track 'Destination' (6:18) in which the influences of classical music are mixed with some Post Rock guitar influences at the end before the piano closes the track.

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conclusion

The Canadian Post & Prog Rock band Versa presents an overwhelming calling card with the double album 'A Voyage / A Destination'. Two albums that may differ in terms of construction and structure, but that are both full of very varied music of a high quality. This album has the most original music I have heard in a long time. As a reviewer I am positively surprised. Personally, I am very charmed by the use of the very extensive instrumentation and the use of both male and female voices, which makes it possible to create all those different atmospheres. And by using real string instruments, the band can also display the influences from classical and folk music very well. Part 1 'A Voyage' may have slightly more Progressive Rock influences than part 2 'A Destination'. But the strong point of these albums is that, especially in the long tracks with the subdivisions, all those influences pass by in a perfect mix. 'A Voyage / A Destination' is the most varied album that I have heard this year. Because of that variation, it is difficult to label the music of Versa. Personally I would describe it as the perfect mix of Progressive Rock, Post Rock, Folk and (Neo) Classical music. A double album for the open-minded music lover. Does this album belong on progVisions? Definitely, because this is the essence of progressive music. An album that lets you hear new things with every listen. A growing gem, which only reveals all its secrets and beauty after a few listens. Highly recommended by progVisions for the open-minded music lover.

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