Just Imagine By Craigology

 

Just Imagine

By

Craigology

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There are times, when over many years an artist comes to your attention, and one can see them grow, expand and become something incredibly special, in the world of instrumental music that can be most certainly said for the artist Craigology, and to highlight that ever further we can enjoy the vibrations of his latest album Just Imagine.

The artist has been known to me musically since 2021, a year of utter confusion for the world, but here was a chilled manifestation called appropriately Time to Chill. Some 4 years later he brings to our attention one of his finest manifestations to date, a jazzy and funky collection of very addictive songs indeed called, Just Imagine.

One might feel like they have drifted back to the 90’s with the opening piece called Doing it. The slow and sultry progression on keyboards and percussion gifting us an opening offering that is as sun kissed as a June morning, the brass section in the latter half of the piece, completing the narrative beautifully.

Interesting title for this next funky dream of a track, one entitled Hot Smoothie. Now those who know me will know for my love of the electric piano, here Craigology does me proud with not only a funky Average White Band styled opus, but bringing both synths, wa-wa guitar and a heavy happy helping of electric piano to yours truly, and yes, this was my favourite track off the release, how could it not be!

This next one, as it was once said in a very famous movie is, “A horse of a different colour” (Wizard of Oz). Here one can find a soft, soothing, chilled summer beat that would go down beautifully in any Jazz bar or chill out room. Sunset is the piece in question and it is redolent of the subject matter yes, but in a sublimely professional way with one of the classiest of presentations on piano from the artist. This is one of those tracks that you will not be able to resist pressing play on just before our beautiful sun drifts below the horizon, even the harmonica adds great value to one of the most attractive pieces from the compilation.

Pollination floats like a musical bee across a warm landscape of tone and rich colours, again the skills of Craigology have truly progressed and become one with nature, almost like a soft Samba hovering on the flavoursome scents of an aromatic summer afternoon. The percussion and keyboards from the artist are something to enjoy here, on the most rhythmic piece from the release with ease.

The curiously entitled funky pastiche called Aquarium is up next, I have beautiful memories of my trip to Jamaica, swimming in the ocean, there I had my own oceanic aquarium, and here in Cyprus I am lucky to have the same again. Once more the artist employs a cross musical narrative of a dance styled motif, mixed with a Latin styled beat, as a totally addictive penultimate composition.

The soft tones of the electric piano lead us into the concluding composition from the album, and this last gift is called La Vie Fantastique. Fortunately one of the languages I speak is French, so, Profiterons de cette vie fantastique et soyons heureux. In English, Craigology gives us indeed the opportunity to enjoy this fantastic life and be happy, on one of the most colourful and soothing musical narratives from the album.

It gives me great pleasure to review albums like this, as I said earlier, I have seen the growth in the path of the musician, and he is now on the cusp, I do believe, of truly hitting the big time, and perhaps Just Imagine by Craigology could be the musical vehicle that helps him get there, this is an album that you really don’t want to miss!