Inner Drive's Oasis, from Russia 2014, by request

 

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Inner Drive is a progressive rock band from Moscow formed in 2006. The band started out as a trio of keyboards, bass and drums but later expanded with instruments like violin, flute and guitars and recorded their debut album in 2014 recommended to fans of eclectic fusion.

A review from progarchives in my opinion doesn't quite do it justice:

Inner Drive from Russia, this totally unknown band even in their country released the debut in 2014 named Oasis. Formed around 2006 they come up with a beautiful art work ,but the music is no less chalenging and beautiful in same time. The album is entirely instrumental and is on eclectic side, from symphonic prog to prog folk and even some fusion moments are present all done with skills and good taste, keyboards, flute, the violin parts, all are well organized delivering some intresting chops from start to finish. The head of the band Sergey Bolotov gathered around him talented musicians who know to handle the instruments, creating a good towards great release in today prog realm. All in all intresting album by this russian band, I think they need far more exposure. 3 stars rounded to 3.5.

First of all I would give it far more stars. No question the composition shows a very deep musical education, but I would prefer to describe it as European chamber music with fusion, rhythm section, and prog influences.  Many tracks feature acoustic piano plus violin and flute for example, so recalling the type of stuff later Gotic did, in their second unreleased album, or more recently the great band Kotebel.  On this blog there have been many posts like this, most recently the Japanese band TEE or the French Syrinx, or Aurora Clara, or my old favourite is Brazilian Ramo.  Amongst the classics from the 1970s, this harks back to the French masterpieces Carpe Diem and Shylock.

If you take a look at the tracklist you'll for sure notice the one called Inspired by Pink Floyd:

 

Not sure what is the inspiration here, it's a bit confusing.

The title track:

You can really appreciate the beauty of the combination of electric piano (Fender Rhodes?) with acoustic flute soloing above, plus digital strings giving it a kind of video game theme music sound by the end, on something called Transience:

Sometimes a very deep and sentient delicatesse permeates the performance, which is really evocative and transcendantly played.  In the end I would say that if you are familiar with Kotebel's work, they are most similar to that Spanish band.  A wonderful suggestion without a doubt for me, and hopefully for many others out there.  Too bad there isn't more output from them. Thanks again for requesting.