Almost by stealth, Steven Wilson has established himself at the top of the league of British musical genius. The slow ascent of Porcupine Tree to their current status as figureheads of contemporary prog rock, coupled with Wilson’s Grammy nominations, his production work (notably for King Crimson) and his Insurgentes solo album have all come in under the radar.
You can hear these components bubbling away below the surface of this second solo work, packaged as a double-album but, so distinct are the discs, they’re more like suites two and three of his solo output. There’s so much happening that it can become too much: experimentalism that oozes in a condensed, treacly river. At times it’s a Canterbury album played by a heavy metal band; at others it sits in choral repose or kicks loose into progressive jazz.
There is an overwhelming sense of awe, a majestic soundscape created by an innovative, forward-looking musician immersed in the history of music. It could only have been created now and yet it reflects a rich legacy. It will take time to love, but its epic vision will always reward revisits.
