Album Review – Once Only by Eternal Return

An atmospheric debut from an international progressive rock ensemble

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Eternal Return is a new prog rock band made up of five members, based around two duos who have worked together in the past; the Australian bass player Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree, No-Man, O.R.k.) who has often worked with the Estonian guitarist Robert Jürjendal (Toyah Wilcox, Fripp’s Crafty Guitar School); and Dogon, made up of the Miguel Noya, (Venezuelan electronic musician) and Paul Godwin (composer/singer based in California). The two duos are joined on drums by Miguel Toro (Royal Dust) who was born in Venezuela and is now based in Berlin.

Once Only was recorded in Berlin in 2019, when this new international band all descended on The Famous Gold Watch Studio (a former munitions factory and Stasi HQ). The aim was to record the whole album in a live situation, to be spontaneous in the moment with the musicians in one room together, in a time before Covid suspended international travel and face-to-face collaboration.

The theme of the album is ‘nomadism’, inspired according to the band, ‘by Noya’s status as part of Venezuelan economic and political diaspora’.

The band also cite ‘seminal progressive ambient-jazz-pop influences’ such as Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden and David Sylvian’s solo work after he left the art-rock band Japan.

The opening track Nomad bursts in with piano and some inventive bass playing from Colin Edwin, who shines throughout the album. The song introduces the album’s theme of nomadism, with its repeated phrase ‘who am I?’ It ends with a lovely piano coda, accompanied by synths which eventually fade into the background like a nomad travelling to find a distant home.

The Void is the track which is closest to David Sylvian’s work; the gorgeous horn solo at the beginning is similar to the solos on tracks such as ‘The Ink in the Well’ and ‘Nostalgia’ from Brilliant Trees, with heart-breaking cracks. But the vocals, when they arrive, are quite different from Sylvian’s lovely, tremulous baritone or the fragile tenor of the late Mark Hollis of Talk Talk. A more valid comparison would be with the beautifully understated vocals of Tim Bowness. The track is the highlight of the album.

A Medium-Sized Village opens with atmospheric harmonics, and a whispered voice saying ‘what did you see’, which could have come from one of the later albums by Colin Edwin’s most famous previous band, Porcupine Tree. Robert Jürjendal’s intense guitar line is reminiscent of his mentor Robert Fripp. Colin’s languid, relaxed fretless bass parts run amiably below, while lively percussion completes the picture.

The Triggering Town begins with a lovely piano part, a real earworm. The theme of nomadism returns, ‘where there was a face/memories erased’. Robert Jürjendal’s quietly virtuosic guitar line provides an anxious backdrop.

The Bottom of the Pond is a livelier, largely instrumental track with distorted vocals buried deep in the mix, the climax of the album in terms of dynamics after the more contemplative feel of the earlier tracks.

The final track on the album The Sky returns to the quieter feel of the rest of the album, with richly-layered backing vocals and sparkling guitar parts; again Tim Bowness springs to mind in the vocal style. The song gathers itself and gains momentum as it builds to the album’s final climax.

The album repays careful listening as tracks which appear sparse are more multi-layered and complex than first appears. It recalls the late-night, introspective atmosphere of Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden, which was recorded in a studio that was shrouded in darkness. So close the curtains, turn out the lights and enjoy a night-time treat.

Once Only is available now on NEWdOG Records