Short Reviews [The Foundation - 2025 - "Relations"]

Before I get to talking about the band or the music, I must call out the amount of effort which has gone into the booklet which accompanies the CD. It is 28 pages long, full of glorious photos as well as the lyrics and who played what on each track, and is a piece of art all in itself. Anyway, back to The Foundation, which keyboard player Ron Lammers brought back to life in 2020. The original trio from the Nineties is long gone, and again Ron has surrounded himself with many well-known Dutch progressive musicians, most of whom were involved with 2023's "Mask". It is interesting to note that while there is very much a group sound, there are multiple writers and lyricists within the band and each song is credited accordingly, yet the move between the songs is seamless. Ron describes this as a thematic album as opposed to concept, about relationships from us as a human to all kinds of partners and environments. It is a very Seventies feeling release, laid back and reflective, rarely in your face, as if the more guitar heavy neo prog and prog metal had never taken place, with reflection often at play with layers of keyboards providing the backdrop, the bass providing a counter melody with guitars providing nuances here and there and the drums never relaxing. In many ways it feels like a Steve Hackett release with some Camel nuances here and there. There are some very pastoral elements at play, but there are also times when the guitars have plenty of edge, being pushed to the fore by the keyboards, while both flute and violin are used sparingly and make a real impact when they come in. It would be very easy for an album such as this to meander, but there is just enough bite here to keep it pushing along with direction, even when that direction is rather circuitous and may not easily be apparent. For the most part this is a light and refreshing release which progheads would do well to discover.