"Prog-Rock" is a term that has some kind of stigma attached to it – in particular in and around "Hipsterland". For some reason, at some point in the history of rock music, that genre started to define the self-indulgent, pompously wanna-be experimental rock music, while the more lo-key, unassuming "weird" stuff was called either "avant-" or just (often generously) "experimental rock". But of course, perceptions keep changing and we are sensing that we are heading towards a re-evaluation of the word "prog", that’s admittedly been out of flavor for a very long time.
South Bronx, NY based Wires Under Tension, recently signed by Western Vinyl Records, definitely have a "prog" component to their sound, but – as simplistic as it sounds – this is not a cheesy element. With their mostly instrumental, lusciously arranged tracks and recurring references to eastern melodies, this band sounds like a more electronic, sober and cinematic version of Ozric Tentacles – which in my limited knowledge of the genre is the most awesome prog rock band ever existed after pioneers King Krimson. The album "Light Science," will be released on February 8th.