Although Steve Hillage‘s name will forever be associated with GONG and, to a lesser extent, KHAN, it’s SYSTEM 7 and their chillout offshoot MIRROR SYSTEM that the legendary guitarist and his synth-wizard wife Miquette Giraudy have been heavily involved with for the last 35 years. But while the first of these latter ensembles release records often enough – still, a follow-up to 2020’s “Field Of Dreams” is a bit overdue – the second issued only four albums, and two of those appeared as a split platter with the parent collective. However, “Route 77” that is to be out on October 25th should pick up where 2015’s “N-Port” left off and offer ten fresh slices of ambient progressive electronica – with a twist.
Hillage may cover Donovan Leitch and George Harrison back in the ’70s, and he can stamp his personality over any other piece of music, yet to hear Steve take on Ry Cooder’s famous “Paris Texas” and on “Sunrain” by Manuel Göttsching will surprise and astound many of the veteran’s fans. Factor in collaborations with BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE’s Dan Donovan, THE ORB’s Alex Paterson and Marv Brookes, plus an imaginative interpretation of Allen Ginsberg’s poem that originally formed a part of the "The Fall Of America II" project, and the call of “Route 77” becomes irresistible.
Route 77
1. Paris Texas
2. Avenue Of Lights
3. Bocca di Lupo
4. Shapes Of Things
5. Camel Hot
6. Sunrain
7. Happiness Is A Cigar Called Hamlet
8. High Field Cloud
9. John Vain
10. Sonora Desert Edge (The Abyss) ( poem)
