Bandcamp [Release date 05.12.25]

‘Sol Caravan’ is a ground breaking debut album by Scott Archibald’s the id project which strikes the perfect balance between jam band interplay, rock related intensity, subliminal percussive rhythms and timeless musical traditions.

It’s a conceptually titled meeting place in the sun for a musical hybrid spanning jazz, rock, psych, funk, fusion, ambient, jam band, trance music and riffs, all underpinned by an array of sumptuous percussive grooves, beats and subtle textures.

The band’s ‘id’ related name also suggests a globally unique identifier, an aspiration which this album admirably fulfils.

It’s music which evokes particular times, places, moods, feels and above all captures the sheer joy of improvisation within coherent arrangements.

The album dips into African, Arabic and Latino musical traditions via exotic vocal swoops, mesmerising percussive patterns and lingering melodies, which emotionally touch the subconscious and provides a portal to our filmic imagination.

And while ‘Sol Caravan’ is by no means a psychedelic rock album, it derives its unique musical oeuvre from a blend of cross cultural musical styles, repetitive rhythms and emotionally charged songs, which often reach for a state of rapture, or in contemporary parlance “trance”.

The album was conceived and partly recorded in Canada by Scott Archibald, a multi genre composer, bassist/multi-instrumentalist and producer with a background in composition and contemporary music. He acts as a catalyst to a refreshingly innovative album.

Most of the album was recorded live in the UK and S.W. France and is shot through with an international sense of purpose, unity and flow, while drawing the listener ever deeper into more esoteric musical outlets.

Initially conceived in the pre-pandemic era of 2020 and finally fully realised 5 years later with the help of British producer Steve Evans (Siouxsie and the Banshees), ‘Sol Caravan’ morphs into unexpected directions over 9 chronologically presented tracks.

The first 5 include 3 ‘live in the studio’ band outings cut at The Fortress in Melksham, Wilshire, with guitarist Justin Adams (Robert Plant/ Natacha Atlas /Jah Wobble), keyboard player John Baggot (Robert Plant/ Massive Attack), drummer Howard Gill and Simon Webster (a master percussionist schooled in North African/Maghreb rhythms and other Arabic, Asian and Afro-Cuban styles).

There’s also an Archibald/Webster duet called ‘Floating’ partly recorded in Montreal and live in Wiltshire, plus a remix of ‘Cellphone/Nature Jam’ at Real World studios Bath, with Dan Neale on drums and samples from Jukka Virri.

The final 4 tracks feature the driving force of Haleshla (ie. the stunning Sufi influenced vocalist Mouna Eddrou and percussionist Simon Webster) and were cut at Sans Reserve in Périgueux, SW France and engineered by Arthur DeCossette.

Haleshla means ‘why not?’ in Moroccan, and it provides the creative framework for an exploratory album which dips into North African, Arabic and Latino musical traditions and rhythms, to give the album an extra emotional depth.

The feverish ‘Taksim Nights’ is the perfect celebratory opener.

Buoyed by a familiar sounding Santana style Latino groove, it’s locked in by Webster’s sparkling percussion, Archibald’s distorted bass line and topped by an eerie theremin sound, which evokes Zappa’s ‘Jazz From Hell’ synclavier album.

Keyboard player John Baggott then slips into a mid-70’s Fender Rhodes fusion style solo and back to the Latin theme and out.

The Maghreb influenced rhythms of ‘Modern Man’ provide an uplifting feel topped by Justin Adam’s sinewy, chiming guitar tones, while Archibald raps out heartfelt social justice lyrics over a muscular arrangement which evokes the lyrical meaning.

The outstanding band composition ‘El fana’ (transcending the ego?) is an intricately woven old school jam in 9/4 time, and is a trance like shuffle which contributes nicely to the sequential flow of the album.

It’s embedded in Scott’s pulsating distorted bass and Simon’s signature percussion, while Justin Adams muddy sounding n’goni and John Baggot’s synth squalls gives the track a post-Hawkwind drone feel, with a fusion undertow.

‘Floating’ is a triumphant duet on which Archibald and Webster get fusiony.

They sound like mid-70’s Pierre Moerlen’s Gong on an intuitive percussive groove with an ethereal feel, shaped by a pulsing bass and subtle vocals.

The overall effect is that of sharing an intimacy, in this case the pessimistic lyrics.

‘Cellphone Nature Jam’ is a surprisingly heavier rock arrangement with some funky bass, eerie lyrics, and a tic-toc beat that evokes the passing of time.

It also pushes the vocal centre stage in the mix, with a clear message: “Look out from your cell phone, there’s a world outside.”

The excellent ‘The Blue Door’ is the first of 4 tracks featuring Haleshla (aka Mouna & Simon). It opens with sampled crowd noises and angst ridden spoken word lyrics, which evoke the feeling of being lost in a medina.

Scott adds chunky bass notes and spacey guitar, while Mouna’s aching vocals give the song a noirish atmospheric feel, albeit with a blue door!

A lovely combination of Archibald’s melodic vocals and Moura’s vocal swoops provide a meditative resolution.

The trance like ‘Le Caravanserais’ is a funky jam based groove with layered vocals which evoke a mood rather than a story telling narrative.

‘Down The Mazi Tunnel-Road To Mandalay’ brings welcome contrast on another excellent track with an opening distant riff and eerie vocals.

It’s full of plucked notes, a strummed mandolin and rich percussion, before a drop-down intricately rebuilds the groove and then splinters at 3.15 into vocal-led swoops and a perfunctory finish.

The closing ‘People Of Beauty’ is a funky Rai-into-fusion piece featuring Mouna on Sufi vocals which reminds me of Flora Purim.

The echoed distorted guitar tones, sparkling percussion and Sufi vocal swoops further tap into the notion of ancestors and spirits.

‘Son Caravan’ has an organic quality which finds room for compositional elegance, inspired playing, and occasional haunting moments.

It’s a superbly played contemporary crossover album which successfully links different, but related musical traditions. I unreservedly recommended it to all lovers of adventurous music. ****

Review by Pete Feenstra

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 30 March 2026

EVA UNDER FIRE Villainous (Better Noise Music)
HOKKA Blackbird (Nuclear Blast Records)
CELLDWELLER Elaleth (FiXT)
DAEDRIC Iridescent Wings (FiXT)
ARKADO Phoenix And Stardust (Pride & Joy Music)
THE DAVIDSON TRIO Disillusion (indie)
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09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
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