Great new prog music from Southern Empire, Karnataka, Jack Hues and more in Tracks Of The Week

Welcome to Prog's Tracks Of The Week. Eight brand new and diverse slices of progressive music for you to enjoy.

Congratulations to French proggers Nine Skies, whose elegant new song The Dream won last week's TOTW with over 50% of the vote, followed by Hayley Griffiths Band and Unsafe Space Garden in second and third place respectively.

The premise for Tracks Of The Week is simple - we've collated a batch of new releases by bands falling under the progressive umbrella, and collated them together in one post for you - makes it so much easier than having to dip in and out of various individual posts, doesn't it?

The idea is to watch the videos (or listen if it's a stream), enjoy (or not) and also to vote for your favourite in the voting form at the bottom of this post. Couldn't be easier could it?

We'll be bringing you Tracks Of The Week, as the title implies, each week. Next week we'll update you with this week's winner, and present a host of new prog music for you to enjoy.

If you're a band and you want to be featured in Prog's Tracks Of The Week, send your video (as a YouTube link) or track embed, band photo and biog to us here.

So get watching. And get voting at the bottom of the page.

SOUTHERN EMPIRE - HOLD ON TO ME

Hold On To Me is the second single to be taken from Australian proggers Southern Empire's upcoming album Another World, which is released through GEP in September. It's the quintet's first new album in five years and sees new vocalist Shaun Hoton make his debut, although it's guitarist Cam Blokland who steps to the mic for the uplifting Hold On To Me.

"From the very moment Cam Blokland strummed the opening chords I was filled with the certainty that we had stumbled upon something extraordinary – one of the finest songs we would ever record," enthuses founding member Sean Timms.

"The emotional depth and captivating melodies woven into the song have an undeniable power to linger in the hearts of listeners long after the music stops. Hold On To Me is an unforgettable masterpiece that showcases the immense talent and chemistry of our band."

JACK HUES - SINCE 2017

The brooding Since 2017 is the brand new single from Jack Hues (Wang Chung) which explores the world of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or UFOs, in the wake of the recent US Congress hearings. The single was inspire by the NY Times front page story that the Pentagon had a secret programme to study UFOs. So, for the first time the US Navy and the Pentagon admitted that UFOs did exist!

"It was this article that changed the debate from 'do they exist?' to 'they exist, but what are they?'," says Hues, who is currently on a month-long tour of the US. "Since 2017 is inspired by these recent developments in the UFO world. Particularly the NY Times article from 2017 and the recent Congressional hearings. It's a great track – sort of two songs in one coming in at seven minutes – its prog credentials are strong!"

ZAHN - IDYLLE

The slowly pulsating Idylle is the first taster from the new album by Berlin's  psychedelic kraut/noise rock outfit Zahn, who will release Adria through Crazysane Records on November 24. Zahn are Chris Breuer (ex-The Ocean Collective, Heads.), Nic Stockmann (Heads.) and Felix Gebhard (Muff Potter, live Einsturzende Neubauten) and Adria is the bands second full-length release, following their self-titled debut in 2021.

"As big fans of Badalamenti's and Carpenter's soundtracks, it was clear to us that sooner or later we would create a song that goes in this direction," explains Breuer. Besides, we are getting old and no longer want to overstrain our instruments in every song. Idylle is the conclusion of our new, quite rocky record and is as unrocky as it can be."

KARNATAKA - THE NIGHT'S DANCE

Typically catchy fare from UK prog rockers Karnataka; a taster for the band's recently released album A Requiem For A Dream, the fiorst to feature the band's new-look line-up that sees vocalist Sertari, Maschine guitarist Luke Machin, The Mighty Ra's Rob Wilsher and drummer Chris Allen join founding member Ian Jones.

”The album explores themes of personal adversity, loss, despair and forgiveness, experienced through the prism of global chaos, climate change and environmental destruction.” says Jones and Sertari of the new album. ”A beautiful world slowly dying and tinged with fear, yet grasping for hope.  We are reminded of the fragility of Sagan’s unique ‘pale blue dot’ floating in a vast ocean of stars. We are dancing in the rain. This is our requiem for a dream.“

THIS WINTER MACHINE - THE RIVER (PART ONE)

UK prog rockers This Winter Machine unveil a new-look line-up on their latest album The Clockwork Man, which is released on new label White Knight Records on October 6. Keyboard player Leigh Perkins on keyboards and guitarist  John Cook join Dave Close (bass), Alan Wilson (drums) and Al Winter (vocals) on The Clockwork Man, the band's first ever concept piece.

"The concept arose from a concern I have that our nature means that even if we achieve parity in many ways in society we will look for other places to put our disdain," explains singer Al Winter of the new album. "This can manifest in ways from outright bigotry to a prevention of human rights, or laws that restrict some but not others. I question if a truly level playing field will happen. In the album’s story the protagonist finds out that things promised aren't always what are delivered."

REFORMAT - TSYGAN

Reformat are creator Luke Pajak and producer Russ Russell (Napalm Death/At the Gates) are joined by Jay Russell (Yard Act) on drums. A synth heavy trio who create experimental music inspired by their shared love of heavy rock, electronica, vintage pop and science fiction. Tsygan is taken from the band's upcoming second album Precursed, released through Fearbone Records on August 18.

"Tsygan is named after a Russian space dog who was later adopted by the scientist who had sent her into orbit," explains Pajak. "The song is about seeing the end of the world from the outside looking in... so ultimately surviving but having nothing to go back home to. The idea came from experiences I had when I was young, which I got through by sort of mentally existing outside of myself. Even though you survive the moment, these things have a habit of haunting you afterwards. It's also the only song we've written which comes close to featuring a 'normal' lead vocal line."

VOTCHI - OUT OF LOVE

Hailing from Prague are sextet Votchi who have been creating progressive rock since 2000, releasing four albums in the process, the most recent of which, Out Of Jail, was released back in 2015. Out Of Love is the brand new single from the band, their fist new music in eight. years

"The song stresses that love is the key to overcoming division and adversity,' the band explain. "As the singer sings, love can transcend the barriers that separate us and enable progress. Since humanity was 'born of love', we can choose to overcome hate and create change through love. The closing lines reinforce this theme by reflecting on past triumphs over difficulty, suggesting we can prevail again if we embrace love."

35 TAPES - WHISTLING FOR THE WIND

35 Tapes are a symphonic prog quintet hailing from Oslo in Norway and who are about to release their third album Fabric Of Time through Apollon Records on October 13. The band's name is derived from the 35 tapes available in a Mellotron, obviously. The nautically themed Whistling For The Wind is the first taster from the upcoming album.

"Whistling For The Wind is a piece about Orwellian archetypes who roam our modern day world, engaging in a futile pursuit for universal justice and self proclaimed truths," the band state. "Intrinsically obsessed with details, their voyage only leads them further away from reality, failing to see a broader perspective. Musically it contains all the prog-ingredients: time signature changes, extensive instrumental sections and a lot of dynamics.."