Without paying too much attention to the fact that Sound Of Contact’s lead singer is the son of Phil Collins, Simon Collins’ progressive rock act more than fills the void left by certain prog rock bands disbanding and reforming under peculiar guises.
Dimensionaut (InsideOut) kicks off with’Cosmic Distance Ladder’. It’s a jam track, for simplicity’s sake. There exists lots of guitarwork and crafty drumming that propel it forward; very reminiscent of Liquid Tension Experiment. The track crafts a whole atmosphere, like drifting out alone in space. Guitars crank out solos in a very progressive metal fashion; its a hard hitting track, quite possibly the heaviest on the LP. Some jazz beats come in during the middle part of the track, giving it a sense of scope and flair. ‘I Am Dimensionaut’ is Sound Of Contact’s diminutive prog rock anthem — it could line up side-by-side with some of the earlier progressive rock tracks from the 70s. Gigantic in size, these airy soundscapes come through with flying colors; Simon Collins’ vocals sound eerily like his fathers. It is easy to get lost inside of the track with its monumentous upswings. The picture being painted is like arriving on a new world, unexplored by mankind; this feeling of something larger than yourself.
‘Not Coming Down’ is almost a continuation of the ‘I Am Dimensionaut’ song. With wafty sounds and jazzy drum beats, these two tracks back to back are perfect examples of progressive rock. There’s a buildup in the middle, leading back into the catchy chorus. ‘Only Breathing Out’ starts off with an airy piano — Simon Collins’ vocals are mesmerizing, haunting at times. Big epic builds give more of a post rock feel than progressive rock but work together to continue the theme of the LP. ‘Omega Point’ is possibly the cheesiest track on the album; all the lyrics rhyme and the mood wanes thin. Musically, however, Sound Of Contact is on point; their ability to create a whole atmospheric sound is there but lyrically, it is sometimes laughable.
Sound Of Contact aren’t just simply resting on the laurels that Simon Collins is Phil Collins’ son. Some of the tracks fall short of amazing, but overall the musicianship is there. With some more fine tuning, these British prog rockers can, and should, become leaders in the genre for a long time.
8/10
Bill Haff