Peninsula: Revelation Space

In December 2024 English post-rock act Peninsula set up shop at Karma Studios in Stoke Newington to lay down three long-form tracks for a new album, Revelation Space. All music was improvised on the spot, taking cues from ambient and progressive rock played at a leisurely pace. Like their previous effort Rituel the influence of Porcupine Tree in their Voyage 34 and Metanoia phase is obvious when they created these soundscapes.

Each part has its own mood - Phase 2: Stabilisation is a piece of dreamy rock drenched in electronics. The rhythms never shift dramatically. Tension and release are brought upon by bringing the various instruments to the fore. Band member Tom Blackford is quite comfortable using xenochrony, so it is good to realise some of the interplay never happened, but he can make it sound like it actually did.

Peninsula: Le Rituel

English post-rock act Peninsula have come with an alternative for an obscure French movie, Le Rituel. With Floydian ambient textures (with nods to On the Run and Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1) and Porcupine Tree in their The Sky Moves Sideways phase, the trio take their time to create a long-form piece that will appeal to prog fans of all ages.

Guitar and keyboards are taking turns as the lead instrument for supplying washes of intricate melodies riding on top of carefully constructed groundwork of bass and drums. Peninsula have secured their place as among the most interesting underground acts. Le Rituel keeps the ball rolling for close to 17 minutes, without making a single misstep along the way.

Peninsula: Improvisations Volume 3: February 2023

English post-rock act Peninsula recorded three long-form tracks on February 18 2023 within couple of hours at Karma Studios, taking a short break between after one in order to recharge, do some exercises maybe or have some tea and biscuits. Whatever it was that made that day so special and inspiring, will never be entirely clear, but the results can now be heard on the third instalment of their Improvisations series.

Guitarist David Boothby proves that you can play real soft and still make a mark. George Robertson gently steers the other two towards new ventures, by changing the pace ever so slightly. Tom Blackford treats his bass as a lead instrument, besides unleashing a treasure trove of sci-fi sounds that will be loved by fans of the pioneering sound wizards at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Peninsula: Anemoia

Four years in the making, Anemoia is the most daring composition that foursome Peninsula have come up with. It is a sprawling ambient meets post-rock excursion, nodding to Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield. There is even a blink-and-you'll miss-it Jeff Wayne inspired guitar. They go through nine distinct yet seamlessly connected sections, thereby creating a soundtrack for an abstract, animated movie that needs to be made someday. If anything Anemoia is a celebration for crystal clear guitars playing catch, with keyboards, bass and percussion stepping into the limelights every once in a while.

With a sidelong running time of a little over 25 minutes, the band manages to grab the listener's undivided attention: headphones bliss that warrants many revisits in order to get immersed in the carefully balanced production, courtesy of Tom Blackford and all four band members. Fans of early Porcupine Tree will love it. Anemoia means cherishing false memories - "nostalgia for a time or a place one has never known". It is an apt name for a longform piece of music that pays tribute to a bygone era wherein musicians were willing able and able to stretch out and take riks at a leisurely pace.