Brainsqueezed
I Am Not a Robot
(Brainsqueezed)

An excellent percussion bed, wailing guitar and harmonica, get us into the high-flying groove opener “More,” from Brainsqueezed’s new full-length I Am Not a Robot. This album was helmed, written, and lead by French musician Sébastien Laloue, whose relocation to Sydney, Australia in 2020 provide the inspiration for this cinematic, multi-layered telling of a “robot’s quest that believes it has a soul beyond its artificial intelligence.”

A tighter rendered beat and some atmosphere lay below the wonderful harmonies from Marcello Vieira on “My Fears in the Night.” This one moves as well, but the chorus underscores some real anthemic poignancy (yes, there is such a thing!) What a great tune!

“Run” features some slowly played keys and Audrey Karrasch’s sexy, sad vocal, slowing the beginning of this section of I Am Not a Robot perfectly.

“Dawn (Song for Richard Wright)” is gorgeous, with its beginning (and ending) ‘gated’ effects and plucky piano leading into high-soaring Floydian tropes.

Referencing the undisputed pivotal member of Pink Floyd, keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter Richard Wright, Brandon Autry’s full Gilmour-ian lead flights mixed with rising aahh’s makes this a fitting tribute I feel.

I Am Not a Robot ends with the big “Black Summer 2019-2020,” pretty much an all-instrumental comment on the terrible Australia fires that hit before the pandemic. A big hard prog tune, with a true Deep Purple vibe, Hugo Lee’s layering sax, the various movements, organ, and piano featured throughout, certainly set a perfect end to the proceedings, if not exactly keeping to the lyrical concept.