There is a seemingly endless stream of music emerging from the prog and prog‑adjacent world, and it’s all too easy for bands to slip through the net unnoticed and Idiogram could easily have been one of them. Had they not appeared at this year’s The Temple of Prog II festival, they might well have passed me by entirely. As it happened, although I couldn’t attend the event, it did fall to me to assemble the TPA report for the day. Idiogram opened both the festival and the review, so naturally I clicked onto Bandcamp for a listen.
If I’m honest, I nearly abandoned ship within the first minute as the sound‑effect laden opening did little to entice, and I found it neither inviting nor especially interesting. Fortunately, I let the track run and as the arpeggiated guitar figure, slinky bassline, and deft piano flourishes gradually surfaced, the piece took on a far more intriguing hue. Across its seven plus minutes, Hyperaccumulator steadily builds, establishing the band’s sonic identity and, in my case, prompting the desire to explore further.
The oddly titled Butcher’s Parcel follows, and here you begin to sense the band’s modus operandi. This is not to say Idiogram rely on a single creative spark, quite the opposite, their sound feels refreshingly contemporary, firmly rooted in the 2020s yet unafraid to draw inspiration from earlier eras. The band are positively cooking throughout Butcher’s Parcel, and what struck me early on was how much they sound like a band making music, rather than a studio assembled project. The production deserves praise too: clever arrangements and meticulous mixing choices preserve an atmosphere that could easily have been muddied or lost.
One of the album’s standout moments arrives with Lady Coates. Lesley Crawford’s repetitive piano motifs form the piece’s spine, around which subtle textures continually catch the ear. Guitarist Ali Kilpatrick and bassist Ali Gillies lock onto the piano’s pulse, creating a hypnotic weave, while Keith Kirkwood’s drums sound wonderfully organic – drums that actually sound like drums. Five minutes in, a neat transition shifts the piece without disturbing its essence. It’s a superb track.
The album then glides into the lengthy Chromosphere / Tidal Disruption. The atmosphere of Lady Coates lingers, but, as before, around the halfway mark a significant shift occurs, presumably heralding the arrival of the titular disruption. Piano and bass initiate the change, building momentum without haste, before heavy guitar and busy drums finally break through. It feels both unexpected and entirely logical. Tidal Disruption is bold and adventurous, leaping from chaos to theme and back again with impressive assurance.
Relief comes in the form of Bevel, a lighter, slightly jazzy piece with a grooving nod, however oblique, to Pink Floyd. (Did Floyd ever truly groove?) The excellent Japanese math‑rock quartet Lite also came to mind here, and again in the choppier mid‑section of the following track, Twilight Sleep. But these are fleeting associations, as Idiogram have their own sound, and the references merely brush past.
The album closes with Telemetry, which to my ears encapsulates Idiogram’s signature approach. A cyclical, quietly compelling piano figure forms the foundation, over which layers of keyboards and guitar accumulate, all supported by a tight, imaginative rhythm section. The result is absorbing, atmospheric, and deeply rewarding.
As I mentioned at the outset, Reunion of Broken Parts could so easily have slipped by unnoticed, and I’m mindful that I’m a year late discovering this little gem. But as the saying goes, better late than never. Idiogram have delivered a distinctive calling card and one that bodes extremely well for their future. Their palette is broad, their instincts cinematic, and their approach refreshingly free of the usual progressive tropes. Definitely a band to look out for…
TRACK LISTING
01. Hyperaccumulator (7:17)
02. Butcher’s Parcel (6:14)
03. Lady Coats (8:38)
04. Chromosphere / Tidal Disruption (12:39)
05. Bevel (6:15)
06. Twilight Sleep (7:14)
07. Telemetry (7:54)
Total Time – 47:33
MUSICIANS
Lesley Crawford – Keyboards
Ali Gillies – Bass
Ali Kilpatrick – Guitar
Keith Kirkwood – Drums
~ With:
Graeme Coe – Cello (5)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 22nd March 2025
