LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Label: Paisley Press

Abraxis were a Belgian jazz-rock group whose only album offers a refined but restless blend of fusion, progressive rock and chamber-like instrumental detail. Led by keyboardist Charles Loos, the music moves with the freedom of jazz while retaining the colour and structure of 1970s European progressive rock. Flute, electric guitar, piano and rhythm section are given equal space, creating a sound that is elegant without becoming polite.

Originally recorded in 1976 and released the following year, Abraxis feels closely connected to the adventurous Belgian scene that also produced groups such as Cos, Pazop and Waterloo. The long-form Valse De La Mort suite is the centrepiece, moving through shifting moods and instrumental passages, while shorter pieces like Clear Hours, Sweetank and Bolle Winkel show the group’s lighter, more agile side. This Paisley Press edition restores a distinctive one-off album for listeners drawn to jazz-rock with a European progressive spirit.

1. Clear Hours – 2:30
2. Valse De La Mort – 16:12
3. Sweetank – 4:24
4. Billy The Keith – 3:52
5. Jeronimo – 1:56
6. Bolle Winkel – 6:47
7. Arhumba – 1:45