When I come across an album on the Carbon 7 label then I expect it to be full-on jazz, possibly with some rock, but not always, and often instrumental.
Of course that doesn't apply to ATTICA who although containing large elements of jazz are using this as just one strand, while they do have a lead singer (who aswellas playing trumpet also provides flugelhorn - not the only tome I have come across that instrument in this issue).

There is a delicacy to this album, as they mix the styles, and I have seen one review where they were raved about as being the new Jeff Buckley !
I woulnd't go that far, but did find it interesting that the one cover on the album is a wonderfully atmospheric take on Nick Drake's "Riverman".
The five guys know what they want to achieve, and use guests where they need some extra brass or violin, or a double bass where the mood is right instead of eclectic yet there can also be some electric guitar breaks when the music demands it.

This is a fascinating album that brings together elements of classic FLOYD with jazz but instead of the result colliding they mix together so that one can't hear the seams.

Fascinating Stuff

UK - FEEDBACK - Kev ROWLAND

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ATTICA - You Are In Danger

On the first track, “Wake Up”, the soft brooding voice of the singer, with a kind of jazzy postrock style of the band, reminded me of the still too unknown JULIA’S MIND SCENE, only here there’s more post-rock drive.
The production makes this sound very spacey. “Sweet Rain” very much sounds like one of PINK FLOYD’s tracks around “Shine on you crazy diamond” or later (can’t remember which song now). It could have been a fine variation in ATTICA’s style, with a larger brass section (of 5 extra musicians), electric guitar, bass, drums. Also “Sober Blues” holds the middle between jazz and softly brooding postrock.
In the middle of the track it includes a contemporary compositional piece that for me could fit with the electric version of “Sacre Du Printemps”, the vocals bringing it back to the middle of song composition with jazzy rhythms : interesting and nice.
Most songs are in a slightly jazzy kind of a postrock style, with a breathy soft rhythm, and now and then smaller, harder, more rocky parts, and all are vocal driven.
The hardest more pushing parts I personally like less, with "Black & White” being my least favourite. I still should mention “Riverman” (Nick Drake) which starts experimental, and has a good close-to-a-jazzy-interpretation.
The band has a strong, but perhaps still somewhat young sound, with good instrumental accompanying ideas. The vocal/song leads give the band one foot in the pop-rock territory. With the arrangements coming secondary. I think the band has potential to further development the importance of the band arrangements.

Belgium - PSYCHE VAN HET FOLK - Gerald VAN WAES

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ATTICA - You Are In Danger

Summary - The music

The music of ATTICA is of a very melancholic kind. Massion's voice reminds strongly of Jeff Buckley's, in an almost eerie way.
The compositions move in the same direction, although there's a bit of a ghost of such Belgian bands as The SAME and dEUS. But there similarities with such modern fringe progressive acts as PRODUCT, GAZPACHO and CIRCLES END as well.
The band use a lot of acoustic instruments, although they do use ample electricity. The compositions are pretty much song oriented (as opposed to epic oriented), built around vocals and guitar. The other instruments are less dominating, although their detail helps a great deal in creating intricate compositions. Through the use of instruments they introduce both rock oriented and jazz related influences. Massion's emotional and strong voice is definitely an asset, carrying the weight of the compositions.

Conclusion
When I heard Buckley's posthumous release Songs For My Sweetheart The Drunk I was disappointed with the quality of the material.
Now hearing this album I feel we have gotten the quality release now I was hoping we'd get then.
Of course, a statement like this can hardly be considered a plea for an album's originality. Having said that, these tracks aren't pure Buckley, and they do stand on themselves quite handsomely, especially if you consider that this is a bit of a Belgian take on the musical vein.

Good stuff by ATTICA.

Netherlands - AXIOM OF CHOISE - Roberto LAMBOOY

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ATTICA - You Are In Danger

ATTICA is music. Mature music. New Music. dangerous Music?. It is jazz, post jazz, Post rock. Rock). Oh I am a little confused even if the music when I hear it is clear - tremendously clear. At times you can sing with, whistle it - then you just feel it... oh yea, you can also cry. There are moments in You Are In Danger where you can precisely say what you are listening - but then the mixing... the developing... well it is what it is but it also becomes a continuation of every kind of music. Jazz or Rock.

Sincerly I'll confess that sometimes i feel hurt by it. "Sober Blues" does this kind of hurting - making me deeply thinkg of my own things. Every tune has a human thinking point of view which interacts with the listener, or at least this is how it affects me.

In "Telefascination" they sing "Don't force me to give you a name". I would do the same trying to describe their music where the name is relative. I didn't pay attention to this during my first, superficial listen. I immediatly labeled as radio post-rock music... then... as it progressed my sense of this music - and my opinion or it had changed.

ATTICA's You Are In Danger is not something that i would recommend to the 'common' sympho or jazzprog listener. There are however many refernces to sounds I've heard before. Musical suggestions of the band of Roger Waters - though less dramatic and desperate maybe. Perhaps the word here is more realistic - and with answer. Also associations here with the music of RADIOHEAD - though lessa dancy. The voice recalls the main singer in COLDPLAY. But in the end - in combination, You Are In Danger is none of these so I reecommend it as real music of a more modern genre/subgenera: postpopjazzrock I suppose. I extend another invitation to tell me your opinions.

Italy - PROG GNOSIS - Valerio REINA

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ATTICA - You Are In Danger

A heavily brooding atmospheric trip that comes across like OPETH and PORCUPINE TREE taking a walk down to an early MOODY BLUES or PINK FLOYD session with Chet BAKER stumbling in about halfway through just to see if things are going well.
Lead vocalist Amaury MASSION possess a voice that elevates occasionally mundane lyrics (such as those found in the opening “Wake Up”) to something greater, while the guitar work of Gilles MORTIAUX and Max GENDEBIEN provides a layer of sweet, smoldering sounds that call to mind David GILMOUR’s work circa Dark Side Of The Moon.

Meanwhile “Sober Blues” feels like the kind of chamber rock practiced by the likes of Michael MANTLER and Carla BLEY made more accessible, less frigid, while “Telefascination” demonstrates ATTICA (rounded out by Cyrille de HAES and Colin DE BRUYNE) is not only capable of incorporating its influences in its own work but also transcending the impact of those influences.

A fantastic trip for the senses. And MASSION’s fluegelhorn and trumpet help make it all the trippier. Fine, fresh stuff that suggests ATTICA is one band to watch.

USA - SEA OF TRANQUILITY - Jedd BEAUDOIN

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ATTICA - You Are In Danger

- Instruments played by the group : male vocals, trumpet, fluglehorn, guitars, bass, double bass and drums.
- Additional instruments: saxophones, violins, trumpet and the Fanfare Royale de Hamois.
- The music: with the music of ATTICA all seems much more simple than it really is, and that's always a good thing.
At simple sight (or listening...), you may think that they simply play rock with slight pop tendencies, but not, there is more: mainly all that jazzistic sensuality that bathes all the music, also the indie aura present in the compositions, not to forget all those spontaneous and contemporary rarities, curious sounds and experiments they are used to do, and other details which build a music that can be classic (in poetry, but always impregnated with a kind of suggestive melancholy. Delicious.

Spain - SHE DIVINE - Héctor Noble FERNANDEZ

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