The Anaton Project - The Ocean Conductor (2026)

It remains a valuable lesson learned: When musicians from vastly different genres come together and record an album without rigid dogmas, the result is often an exciting and unconventional final product.

These Norwegians can certainly attest to that. Guitarist/singer Johnny Normann Berg comes from a classic neo-prog background and gathered a pair of contrasting musicians around him for his Ananon project, and it's evident in every second of this genre-defying album. Dim Gray, Anathema, Gazpacho, and many other excellent examples from the atmospheric, progressive realm serve as legitimate references and points of reference.

Conceptually and visually, the album takes us out to sea – "Moby Dick" and "The Old Man and the Sea" served as inspiration for the thematic framework. Even though the band's history and origins date back to the 90s, it wasn't until 2023 that they truly found their stride.

I must confess, the unconventional, emotional approach—the way the musicians integrate traditional prog rock, atmospheric doom elements, and alternative post-rock swells—is completely captivating at every moment, and I was instantly hooked. The sound is incredibly present, but thankfully far from polished.

Yes, there's a touch of neo-prog at its core. But the way the band constantly creates moments of tension with narrative spoken word samples mixed to the forefront, choirs, various emotional vocal outbursts, and dynamic shifts between quiet and loud, provoking imagery and musically staging it like a vast ocean through gentleness and stormy eruptions, is utterly thrilling. The execution is so refreshing, atmospheric, and passionate that fans of prog, post-rock, and alternative dynamics will find themselves in paradise.

Long instrumental passages create a sense of spaciousness and breadth, and the cinematic music breathes deeply thanks to the epic melodies and captivating choirs. The sound of the sea, silence, and piano-driven passages testify to the band's multifaceted musicality. Raw, wild timbres here, the finest, most sensitive fragility there. Strings in 'Mirador,' almost chamber music-like flourishes, then powerful riffs and modern art rock with a pleasing heaviness bring continuous leaps and dynamics to the songs. 'A Letter From Starlette Chapter 2' is a beautiful interlude featuring a child's narrative, dreamlike voice.

'Lady Luna' could easily be on Anathema's "Eternity" or a Gazpacho record: a measured tempo, a fragile male voice, heavy, crashing waves of guitar. It's touching, and the consistently used strings are the emotional icing on the cake. A great deal of post-rock euphoria and melancholic bliss resonate in emotionally sweeping tracks like "Songs Only Sirens Sing" or the orchestral "The Hunt"—no fan of either powerful new art rock or dark post-rock will find their niche here. The sound of the sea, loving guitar motifs, and strings as far as the eye can see are ever-present—what more could one ask for?

"Reflections Under A Starless Map" touches the listener with agitated vocals reminiscent of a young Vincent Cavanagh (Anathema). Here, too, there's a narrator's voice, a captivating song structure, and a wealth of imagery and atmosphere. The title track maintains a similarly ballad-like, melancholic swell—it begins with a lost, ethereal guitar riff, seemingly without land in sight, before gradually shifting into a dramatic, oppressive heaviness.

All of this is deeply moving, intensely emotional, and despite its variety, it doesn't venture into overly experimental territory. Atmosphere, mood, and visual spectacle are clearly the focus here, and the Norwegians celebrate their modern prog with truly exhilarating passion. Full of wistful choirs/strings and, once again, those emotional Cavanagh vocals, 'Goodbye Starlette' brings this majestic gem/masterpiece of Scandinavian craftsmanship to a close with its penetrating epic feel. Respectful greetings to the North – I am absolutely thrilled.