I was really not impressed by Eureka‘s Shackleton’s Voyage. In fact, I expected it to be the very good album it turned out to be.
I don’t remember exactly where I had heard of it, but a couple of things I read not long before its release awoke my attention, so i noted the name down and just waited.
It immediately turned out the album was capable, and actually with ease, to keep that attention alive. I enjoyed it from start to finish, and i’m still playing it on occasions, which becomes harder and harder as my collection grows bigger.
So what’s noteworthy about it? What makes it stand out, and what made it jump to my attention in the first place? Two things above all.
Firstly, a technical note. Eureka is actually a solo project by a German instrumentalist, Frank Bossert, who appears to have a long and honorable career within the often interesting genre of progressive rock. It sounded like a warrant that he put so much work and passion into telling a tale by the sole means of instruments (plus a very few read/sung parts).
Secondly, and obviously as interesting, the story itself. My penchant for concepts was tickled by the “ambient rock version” of an adventurous journey which really took place in history. The first transantarctic expedition ever – it almost sounded like someone should’ve thought of telling it by music way before.
Fortunately someone now has. And very skillfully. The result is nothing impressive, but it perfectly met my expectations. Shackleton’s voyage is told by the voice of synths and keyboards, and a very non-intrusive, yet steady, guitar work. when you think of instrumental prog rock, Mike Oldfield‘s name is very likely to come to your mind. the comparison is not out of place, but not worth deepening here. Let’s rather say the placid flow of notes renders the atmosphere of the voyage in an excellent way; at times it feels like standing on the ship’s dock, caressed (ok, strongly caressed) by the antarctic winds, enjoying the spectacle of ice breaking under the keel as the ship proceeds. Rather than a meager poetic image, this is more or less what the music on this album may visually awake in your mind.
My advice would be to play it loud enough while you’re laying on a couch or something, with no disturbance around, so as to enjoy it at its full potential. What it can give you is nothing short from a relaxing hour-or-so. It’s also good to play it while you’re driving. It sort of slows down anything around you, and that feels good from time to time.
THUS SPAKE THE CENNSOR: Prog rock? Ambient prog rock? Instrumental blah blah? No need to rack your brain, Shackleton’s Voyage is all of them. And all at a very high level. This album’s a well-told story (stories don’t always need to be told by words), a concept of pretty fascinating imagery, and it’s capable of letting you travel without leaving your couch; actually, it works better as you lay there and just press “play”. 7/10
