Progressive Rock charts

Review: 'We Are!' was the very first opening theme for the TV anime version of One Piece, which first aired in 1999. The first analogue version of the 8cm single CD was released in November of that year. Sung by the franchise's in-house singer Hiroshi Kitadani, and bringing along with her a bursting, emphatic, nearing-on-frenzied composition, the theme instantly captures the vibe of One Piece; that of following Monkey D. Luffy and crew on serial whimsical piracies and carefree adventures, set against a more sinister backdrop of tyrannical secret police forces controlled by a World Government, in constant conflict with a Revolutionary Army.

Review: Astral Quartet was a group that changed their name and evolved into Centre El Muusa. They never played live nut managed to record just two tunes back in 2018. Now, five years later, they finally get to see the light of day. They could be 50 years old such is the quality of the musicianship - fusions of jazz and funk that brim with character. The band is made up of Monika Erdman, Rauno Vaher, Volodja Brodsky and Misha Panfilov who mix up cosmic Wurlitzer sounds, languorous synths and fresh drums, turning it into something laidback and psyched on the b-side and more funky and up-beat on the a-side.

Review: Pulled from the earliest days of The Soft Machine when they were closer to a psychedelic rock band than a tripped-out jazz concern, Universal Japan have reproduced a very limited single version of 'Why Are We Sleeping?'. The song itself is still a nebulous, twisting and turning freak ride riding on a satisfyingly heavy rhythm section, embellished with organs and following droll poetry to the pure 60s burst of the chorus, as masterful now as it was mind-blowing back in 1968. On the B-side, 'Joy Of A Toy' is a subtly funky affair laced with languid wah wah guitar and artful dynamic shifts from the mellow beginnings to a rollicking beatdown by the crescendo, and all in under three minutes. Collectors will especially enjoy the Japanese artwork on this unique single, but just having these two gems on a handy 7" is worth the price of entry alone.

Review: Estonian rock band Centre El Muusa hail from Tallinn and in vitally started out as experimental electronic duo Centre Electronique Muusa before evolving into the current set up in 2018. They have dropped a couple of tasty albums since 2020 and now contain with their explorations and fusions of the worlds of jazz, rock, folk, world and country with hints of kraut on the new 7" for Funk Night. 'Moonlight Horses' is a psyched out world of campfire guitars and star gazing riffs that leaves you feeling fully hippie-d up. 'Catching Stars' then heightens the trip with more angular guitars and a big wall of garage-rock sound.