Rock/Pop/?? - Is this the sound of "progressive music" in 2009? Quoting one observer: "Imagine Jimmy Page & Robert Fripp discussing concepts at Steve Reich's Bar-B-Que." The Mandrake Project sound is characterized by unpredictable and eccentric investigations into jazz, classical, world-beat, psychedelic and ambient rock. The music is entirely self-reliant with vocal absence, but smears heavy layers of sound and rhythm into complex and sometimes repetitive soundscapes."

"The body of music created by Mandrake Project concocts an unusual mixture characterized by unpredictable and eccentric investigations into jazz, classical, world-beat, psychedelic and ambient rock. The music is highly self-reliant with occasional guest vocal augmentation. Dense layers of sound and rhythm smear into complex, hypnotic soundscapes, that ebb and flow through massive crescendos and sleepy interludes."

This Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based group redefines many hip genre tags through its unorthodox marriage of lush, delay drenched guitars, intricate world rhythms and unusual instrumentation. Lunging effortlessly from heady Floydian arrangements, crystalline Buckley-esqe anti-pop, and haunting waltzes, the songs within the A Miraculous Container manage such transitions without breaking trance. Too confident to shoe-gaze and perhaps not image conscious enough for the hipster underground, these things matter not to the dedicated multi-instrumentalists who comprise Mandrake Project's cast of talent.

These genre-defying gentlemen draw love from across the categorical spectrum. Mercurial in nature, by the time you've placed your finger on the pulse of this unique lot, they've altered the tempo and fast-forwarded to the next chapter without notice or interruption. They combine choice elements of classical, jazz, psychedelic, world and ambient rock to form their warm, timeless hybrid. The underlying adhesive that cements such seemingly disparate art forms is the trademark Mandrake Project cinematic approach to songwriting.

A Miraculous Container plays like the award winning soundtrack to the best movie you've yet to see... or produce! True to the spirit of this ongoing interactive rock collective, you must provide the imagery for these imaginary films internally. Mandrake Project simply melts into the background orchestrating the score while the credits roll. Although the music maintains its presence heavy on the instrumental playing field, the vocal tracks find their way into a number of scenarios painted by ornate backing fanfare. This recording holds court in an atmosphere that perpetually caters to the true listener.

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