This  5th studio album from Dutch band Lesoir represents all that is best about contemporary progressive music. High-quality listenable music and a clear distinct message which is relevant to all. 

Release Date: 1st May 2020

Label: Glassville Records

Formats: CD / DL

Since they began a decade ago, it also represents their continual efforts to produce an album that “finally paints the truest picture of the shapes, colours and interlocking elements of our collective lives and experiences.”

Supported by John Cornfield (Muse, Supergrass, Ben Howard and Robert Plant), Paul Reeve (vocal producer of Matt Bellamy), and Jo Partridge (guitarist in War Of The Worlds), Mosaic was produced at Airfield Studio, St Merryn in only 10  gruelling days. 

From the opening track, Mosaic, the album questions all life’s triumphs, failures, misinterpretation, loves and hates, asking if we’re getting better at tolerating each other. Musically the blend of superb harmonies and music which is sometimes subtle, sometimes powerful, shows that the band is certainly together.

With some cosmic effects that Hawkwind would be proud of, they ponder whether they are satisfied with their worldly lot. “The more I ask the less I want,” gives one hint but as the track title suggests, “Is this it?” and possibly a lack of content with the hand that life has dealt. Make the most of what you’ve got. 

There are observations of how alongside all the life-changing traumas, nature provides some consistency. In The Geese,  the message is delivered melodically initially with a choral backing before a final crescendo.

Amongst the mix of life’s issues, there are protest songs. Measure Of Things is set against a tranquil opening, building to a tumultuous ending. Lesoir also offer us a warning amid some Floydian sounds in Dystopia; a reminder that it is up to us to prevent those who would disrupt, to tolerate nature. The point is delivered in spoken words like a radio broadcast, but mainly intricate instrumentals.

The final track, Two Faces, contemplates how later life is compromised by the problems of a difficult childhood, and shows their mastery of fluctuating tempo and dynamics.

Progressive musicians are never short of profound statements but they only carry any weight when they are being realistic and relevant. This album conveys musically the following thoughts of the group:

“Our lives are made up of various elements and parts; people, pets, work, our homes. They all have a colour; a shape and they vary in size. It is up to us to make our lives into works of art, using all these parts and elements, to make the complete picture.”

This is not the first effort to musically explore the roller coaster concept of the journey of life and no doubt it won’t be the last but this one succeeds in presenting it in a meaningful impassioned way bound with inventive, sometimes graceful and sometimes vigorous progressive rock.  

Final words with Lesoir vocalist Martje Meesen:

“…..  a lot of blood, sweat and tears were poured into the creation of ‘Mosaic’ .The result is an emotional, open and honest record, and our most dynamic release to date.”

Listen to the album’s title track:

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