After 2023’s impressive Mask album, Ron Lammers’ melodic, symphonic progressive rock project, The Foundation, have produced a follow-up album called Relations, which is equally as good.
Ron plays keyboards and shapes the musical direction, but he is joined by largely the same set of talented musicians that appeared on Mask – with several involved in the musical composition. Mark Smit provides the evocative vocals, as well as most of the lyrics, whilst Gijs Koopman impresses on bass, Taurus bass pedals and additional keyboards. Guitar duties are handled by Rinie Huigen, with additional contributions from Jens van de Valk. Jan Grijpstra returns on drum and percussion, as does Judith van der Valk on flute and whistles. Finally, Masaki (“Makkie”) Shimakawa adds his expressive violin on the track, Backbone. This is a real collective effort!
Musically, there is a diversity of styles, but in general it is grounded in classic-era symphonic and melodic prog, with the influence of Yes, Camel, King Crimson and Genesis, mingling with the Alan Parsons Project, and taking in elements of US bands like Saga, Styx and Kansas. Yet the project’s overall signature sound is distinctly their own, with echoes of more contemporary prog rock and then AOR.
Mask was a highly personal and autobiographical concept album for Ron – charting life’s ups and downs, which mirrored Ron’s spiritual awakening and his Christian conversion. This time, with Relations, the conceptual theme deals with the relationships we have with family, friends and ultimately God. However, Ron states that: “A relationship with other people starts with you. If you don’t love yourself, it is impossible to care for other humans, or nature and the world around us…and importantly with our creator.” Although this is another album full of spirituality, the Christian message is subtly incorporated within the narrative and never done in an overt or didactic way. The central message of love is one that even secular prog listeners can embrace, and the musical template is, at times, quite stunning – both complex and intricate and yet refreshingly simple when needed.
The album begins impressively with Alpha. The sound of a flute-like Moog synthesiser over a swirl of atmospheric sounds sets the scene before a powerful and uplifting ensemble of Ron’s keyboards, Rinie and Jens’ guitars and Gijs’ bass raises the dynamics, with Taurus bass pedals resonating wonderfully over Jan’s strong drum patterns. Mark’s light and airy vocals recount a meeting between with a traveller in a small village inn. Yet we soon realise this is a fable relating to the Creation story and the stranger is God reaching out to Mankind as a ‘friend’ and creating light from the dark for them on the first day.
Through nothingness and night.
Telling His tale of creation, the shaping of the light.”
Judith’s melodic flute lines, together and some gentle guitar patterns work well with the lyrics, before the rich, thunderous instrumentation returns. Delicate piano signal the final section, with the lovely undulating bass and drums patterns accompanying the soaring keyboards onwards, with majestic choral effects taking us higher and then back into the primordial firmament.
Symphonic and melodic prog fans will delight in the lively Beauty of Nature instrumental. It begins quietly with a plaintive Celtic folk-like, pastoral sound of flute and low whistles over the sound of nature, but then changes into a sweeping mix of expressive, swaying bass and drums and a beautiful, exhilarating extended guitar solo from Rinie, before returning to the sounds of birds and running water. Ron says that the musical contrast between the calm at the start and the more powerful feel later, reflects the variety in our relations with nature. Supportive and friendly at times, and yet destructive at other times.
Backbone is a delightful and varied track that considers the relationship between two lovers, and the need for them to be each other’s backbone at times of sickness and grief. Rinie’s evocative acoustic guitar mingles with Masaki’s melancholic violin conjures up a dark serenity which then bursts into a soaring and vigorous interplay of keyboards and deep bass and drums, with the electric guitar crying forlornly above it all. Mark’s thoughtful and contemplative vocals float above the music effectively, especially on the rather moving chorus.
In times of tears
On your shoulder I can cry.
When I stand in the pouring rain
And I’m feeling far from home.
I feel your strength and you feel my pain
Then I know I’m not alone.”
Once again, Judith’s flute works so well, floating over the instrumental melee, with some nice keyboard patterns and then more expressive guitar soloing taking us through to the end.
Ses Lunettes Noire is a poignant, bitter-sweet, piano-led power ballad, sung in French and written by Mark’s stepson, Hugo Asensio. He remembers his loving grandmother and her sunglasses. She passed away some time ago and yet he is sure that if he met her in Heaven, he would recognize her as ‘the lady with the dark sunglasses.’ The music builds up steadily into a majestic crescendo and it is a charming change of style and pace on the album.
The beginning of Intense is an exhilarating slab of instrumental progressive rock with Jan’s strong and varied drumming, and Rinie’s dominant electric guitar, before Mark’s vocals consider the intensity of a loving and caring relationship that also be challenging and difficult at times, and far from an easy journey together. The lyrics and music don’t completely gel at times, but the forcefulness of the ensemble play, including some stirring synths, a strident closing rhythm and a defiant “And let daylight return” from Mark, is quite a finale.
Rubberband is the longest track on the album at over 10 minutes and continues the thematic concept of the relations in our lives. It is a multi-faceted mini epic, with Mark’s lyrics all about being able letting go of your children, as they grow up and start their own lives, but at the same time allowing them to come back and be supported by you when they encounter problems. They can always come to you, as if they are on a rubber band! Despite the futuristic, electronica opening soundscape, there is a rather upbeat and joyful instrumental flow here in the opening section, with some deep, distorted guitar work intertwining with Gijs’s growling bass notes and Jan’s galloping beat, along with some lovely bubbling Moog soloing. It’s all rather gorgeous. However, acoustic guitar and flute enter and create a more pastoral and serene ambience, prior to bass and keyboards gradually bringing the tempo back up later. Mark’s buoyant vocals are nicely paced with the music and accompany us through to the hopeful and warm conclusion with strains of acoustic guitar.
Any place will welcome you and all around are friends
All the corners of the world, wherever you may roam
Don’t ever forget that you can always come back
Home”
The penultimate track, Life, is a short and thoughtful song all about the need to truly love yourself – as it’s impossible to care and love others if you don’t love yourself. Rinie’s acoustic guitar and Judith’s flute produce a rueful and reflective feel, matched by Mark’s searching vocals. They steadily gain in intensity as Jan’s percussive pace increases, prior to a chiming guitar coda before the philosophical questioning “Where did I come from, what will I be?”
Omega rounds off the album effectively and in majestic style, picking up the fable from the opening track, Alpha. Musically, it begins very much like an Alan Parsons Project song but then picks up in tempo and dynamism as the traveller recounts the story of the creation from the second day through to the seventh, gaining in stately majesty, with flourishes of progressive keyboard exuberance, as effectively God asks Mankind “… to cherish the world, for it was my gift to thee.” The Christian spirituality underlying much of the album is at its most clear with this closing track – reflecting Ron’s own life choices. However, even more secular listeners would find it a rousing and uplifting finale. The traveller disappears, leaving the man to ponder what he has been told and the love to be given in return. Mark’s vocals are at their most powerful and instrumentally the album ends with Jens’ glorious electric guitar taking flight over the rich tapestry of keyboards, choral effects and Taurus bass pedals. I think it is all done rather well and the overall Christian message is thoughtful and reflective rather than strident and moralising.
Then I learned to comprehend
His tale really had no end
It was that night when I could see
That he was and will always be
My friend.”
Relations is another strong, thematic album of symphonic and melodic prog from the Dutch progressive rock project, The Foundation. Musically diverse, lavish and cinematic at times, and yet delicate and emotionally deep where necessary – delivering a warming message of love within the lyrics that can resonate with you, regardless of your spiritual beliefs. Mixed and mastered expertly by Jan Munnik, with lovely artwork by Douwe Fledderus on the CD, this is accessible, but sumptuous progressive rock to immerse yourself within, and definitely worth exploring further on Bandcamp.
TRACK LISTING
01. Alpha (7:21)
02. Beauty of Nature (4:53)
03. Backbone (8:20)
04. Ses Lunettes Noires (4:59)
05. Intense (5:58)
06. Rubberband (10:15)
07. Life (4:23)
08. Omega (9:50)
Total Time – 55:59
MUSICIANS
Mark Smit – Vocals, Piano (4)
Rinie Huigen – Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
Jens van der Valk – Electric Guitar (1,6 & 8)
Gijs Koopman – Bass, Taurus Pedals, Keyboards – Moog Solo (6)
Jan Grijpstra – Drums, Percussion
Judith van der Valk – Flute, Tin Whistles (1,2,3,6 & 7)
Masaki (“Makkie”) Shimakawa – Violin (3)
Ron Lammers – Keyboards
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Xymphonia Records
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Date of Release: Digital: 11th June 2025 || CD: 30th June 2025 || Vinyl: July TBC
