TEXEL - ZOOMING INTO FOCUS+METROPOLITAN (2CD BUNDLE PACK)

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If you are a big fan of the early FOCUS works, especially their 1971’s ‘Moving Waves’ album, these TEXEL album will be love at first listen for you!

TEXEL are an unsigned Anglo / Danish band that play nearly all-instrumental melodic music based on the Dutch band FOCUS!

Composer and keyboardist Steffen Staugaard quite authentically captures the idiosyncratic way Thijs van Leer was writing his classically inspired tracks of the time, pleasantly emulating his typical melodic twists and Hammond organ chord progressions. Guitarist Neil Gowland perfectly recreates the exciting weeping guitar sound of Jan Akkerman – a sound that became formative for Dutch symphonic rock since the 70's until today.
Phil Wood (bass), Max Saidi (drums) and Thorstein Quebec Hemmet (flute) complete the core line-up of TEXEL.

Originally released 14th October 2018, ‘Zooming Into Focus’ is the album that first realized the band-leader’s dream of composing and performing music similar to the group he was most fascinated by in his formative years - the Dutch group FOCUS. On this, their first step into the world of recorded Progressive Rock instrumentals, TEXEL produced seven original tracks of new music that stylishly and perfectly reflected that superb melodic sound of the seventies that was FOCUS!

Released 15th February 2021, ‘Metrolitan’ features the same core group of musicians as from the 2018 debut album: ‘Zooming Into Focus’, but this one also features Gary Thistlethwaite (bass), Kazumi Suzuki (flute) and Barbara Bolívár (flute). The album also features special guest appearances from multi-instrumentalist Peter Jones (TIGERMOTH TALES / CAMEL), drummer Marco Minnemann (Joe Satriani / Steven Wilson / ARISTCRATS) and ace guitarist Niels van der Steenhoven (FOCUS / Tito Jackson).
‘Metropolitan’ is composed of 11 brand new – FOCUS inspired - predominantly instrumental tracks written by TEXEL’s creative force, keyboardist Steffen Staugaard, with a couple of exceptions being: 'Sweynsson’s Slumber' which was written by guitarist Neil Gowland and ‘Voluspa’ which was co-written by the duo, and forms their first venture into a piece with lyrics.
Marco Minnemann and Kazumi Suzuki feature on the CD Only Bonus Track: ‘Nocturne Epiphanie’.

Also available individually by TEXEL …
METROPOLITAN (2021 2nd FOCUS Inspired Album) CCCD – Stock # 2205187
ZOOMING INTO FOCUS (2018 1st FOCUS Inspired Album) CCCD – Stock # 2174087

TEXEL: ZOOMING INTO FOCUS + METROPOLITAN Track Lists:

ZOOMING INTO FOCUS:
01. Medusa (5:26)
02. 1975 (6:42)
03. Organic (5:18)
04. Ambitious (8:02)
05. Impressions (5:57)
06. Modus Operandi (7:45)
07. Kingmakers Parade (4.11)

TPT - 43:21

METROPOLITAN:
01. Ludo Mentis (5:29)
02. Metropolitan (5:54)
03. Syncopia (6:26)
04. Sweynsson’s Slumber (4:16)
05. Voluspa (6:24)
06. Polka Magyar Akta Músicâ (5:22)
07. Metamorphoses (6:32)
08. Tuileries (5:05)
09. Flute In Rhapsody (5:41)
10. Texel (4:50)
11. Nocturne Epiphanie (7:20) * CD Only Bonus Track *

TPT - 63:19