Well, I hadn’t intended to write about this album quite so soon. I have a whole stack of records that have accompanied me over the past six months and deserve their turn. But, as so often happens with me, the introduction I was writing started morphing into an entirely different essay. So instead, here’s a short post about an extraordinary song from one of the greatest progressive rock albums ever made… by a band you’ve probably never heard of.

Sound of Contact released Dimensionaut in 2013 to widespread critical acclaim. Sadly, after a single tour promoting this remarkable debut, the band quietly disappeared. One album. That’s all we got.

I know… some of you switched off the moment I mentioned progressive rock.

But this isn’t meaningless twaddle masquerading as profound art. There are no twenty-minute solos disappearing up the business end of a wizard’s anatomy. Instead, Dimensionaut is packed with genuinely accessible songs—many of which, in a kinder universe, would have been genuine hits.

Yes, the musicianship is exceptional. There are instrumental passages and moments of virtuosity. But they’re always in service of the songs. That’s what makes this album so special. It’s memorable, melodic, ambitious and, above all, beautifully written.

Anyway, I really should be heading to bed. Before I do, though, I couldn’t resist sharing the track that accompanied my workout this morning.

Have you ever tried doing the elliptical in 9/8 time?

It’s quite the experience.

…oh, and if the voice and drumming sounded just a little like Phil Collins in his glory days… well, that happens to be one Simon Collins. The apple doesn’t fall far.