Now We Have a Light

I had no idea what to expect with Sanguine Hum (my first from them) and am totally floored. This is superbly created, arranged, emotional, modern music. I can’t draw comparisons to any other band – they are so original. I guess they could be categorized as prog-rock as the songs are longer than 3 minutes, there a lots of interesting changes, and lots of space for instrumental sections. The musicianship is tight and subtle providing only what the song needs. The keyboards and vocals really stand out for me, not to say that the bass and drums aren’t great also, but I love the sound of electric piano and it is used often. When I first heard the vocalist I thought… wow this woman can really sing… but to find out it is Joff Winks who also plays guitar. Due to the running length of the album (over 83 minutes) there are two discs. If you buy the physical copy you can read part one of the imaginative story - The Buttered Cat Conspiracy - that is supposed to be continued on their next release “Now We Have Power”. I would like to point out that at 7:35 into the song “Spanning the Eternal Abyss” my disc seems to have a glitch (a shrieking sound that seems out of place) and I wondered if others have noticed this or if this is how the band wanted it? Other than that minor glitch this is an outstanding release that I cannot stop listening to and recommend without hesitation.

as stated for 4 stars

Another great release from the UK based Sanguine Hum! And what's better than one new album? One new double album! The Hum have created a double album of great music that retains their core signature sound without sounding repetitive or boring from start to finish! Plenty of great melodies and catchy moments on this album. Top quality musical craftsmanship here that is a joy to listen to. Sanguine Hum have added a great musical experience to this year's already bountiful collection of prog related music.

If you hanker for the spirit of Hatfield and The North, these guys have picked up the reins and are running with them. Lovely stuff.

"Weight of the World" was my introduction to this band and I found it to be filled to the brim with dynamic compositions and brilliant musicianship. Sadly, after 4 solid listens, I find myself wishing I had stopped there. While "Now We Have Light" is equally well composed and played it lacks the spark that instantly drew me in to WotW. Most of the songs just kind of lay there and I'm at a loss to say that I can remember anything that stands out other than their musical chops. I'll certainly check out their next release of new material but will approach it with a little more caution and less enthusiasm than I did with this one. I strongly recommend listening to more than just the 30 second preview snippets offered on the Amazon page before purchasing if you're expecting to find a continuation of the brilliance contained on WotW. 3 1/2 stars.

As modern progressive rock goes, Sanguine Hum are among the cream of the crop. This is an incredibly ambitious offering with a classic prog sound without coming across as derivative. Sure there are elements that will remind listeners of late 70's Yes, early Ambrosia, Henry Cow and even more recent acts such as Echolyn. There is no denying the top notch skill of the musicians, just check out the ferocious bass and keyboard interplay of Cat Factory. What really impresses is the uncompromising approach the group takes to create a collective whole of an album. This is straight progressive rock, no chaser. This is the greatest strength of Now We Have a Light and also what holds it back from being even better. The lack of one or two standout moments in this song cycle would elevate the album from a fan favorite to a potential genre classic!

I enjoy music having unusual song structure, sometimes complicated, not able to predict in the first listen what the next phrase or part is gonna be, changes of key signatures, time signatures and tempo within the song. Having said that not all the progressive rock music appeal to me. I am a die hard fan of Dream Theater. I don't normally explore music of a new generation. But there is something in Sanguine Hum that made me love them straight. It is maybe the voice. Sweet and soft and soothing, perfect for their synthesised, ambient, guitar oriented, slow-mid tempo, jazzy, bluesy, rocky music. Before that, that cover art looking like Tom (Tom & Jerry) caught my attention in the first place. And here I am, at the moment of discovering the band in Amazon, ended up having ordered all three albums Diving Bell (2012), The Weight Of The World (2013) and Now We Have Light (2015) at once. All three albums are brilliantly written and performed. The band is made of extremely talented bunch of guys. Their music is mostly short and not boring at all. In my opinion, the second album is the best. Sanguine Hum just added to my favourite bands. \m/,

Great third album. Great sound, Great songs. great arrangement, Always surprising.

excellent Le grand retour à la compétition de Franck Ribéry a été terni par la défaite du Bayern Munich à Mönchengladbach samedi lors de la 15e journée de Bundesliga (3-1).

I really like Sanguine Hum. The concept is completely nuts, but this allows a lot of freedom of expression which is actually quite a clever idea for this type of music and album. The 2 disc set is excellent, and the packaging really good. The DVD was really interesting, but perhaps lacked a little in terms of detail and a bit more Q&A with the band and the writing processes. Small quibble but it did feel a bit like an opportunity lost in some respects.

I can't resist a wacky concept album, but beyond the Pratchett/Adams whimsy of the supporting story, this is musically very very good indeed. Most Prog is what you could only describe as "investment music", takes a few listens to sink in, but this has an immediacy that grabs you from the outset and keeps you engaged, and you still feel that there's more to enjoy on repeated listening. It's got that immediate quality of 80s stuff like Pallas and Twelfth Night, (although sounds nothing like them or anyone else for that matter, apart from to my ear slight undertones of Permanent Waves era Rush). Otherwise, classic Prog elements all present and correct, soaring guitars, tricky time changes, bubbling analog synths. For a double album, no padding at all. Very highly recommended, another example of why the modern Prog scene is thriving and the most interesting and innovative music around.