Steve Hillage
Fish Rising

The British lands between the '60s and '70s were teeming with musicians, and the buzz was incredible. Among all the genres that emerged during that period, one stood out for its uniqueness and some distinctive features: the Canterbury Sound.

This genre, falling within the galaxy of Progressive, had seen many bands at work, but within them, the same artists were more or less always present, moving from one group to another, founding their own, or venturing into solo albums. A name of great interest is certainly that of guitarist Steve Hillage, who was a key figure in Gong, Arzachel, and Khan (in this group, he is the mastermind behind "Space Shanty," one of the peaks of Canterbury). His career also includes some solo albums. In 1975, the first of these works, "Fish Rising," was released.

We are in a borderline period, very peculiar. In the previous year, "Red" by King Crimson was released, considered by some as the last masterpiece of Prog, and "Rock Bottom" by Robert Wyatt. Almost a sign, as if choosing a solo career seemed to come just in time. Hillage doesn't seem to worry much: after leaving Gong at the end of the "Radio Gong" trilogy and taking along some old companions, he produced this album. Let it be clear, the echoes of Gong and his immediate past are heard, it fits fully within the Canterbury Sound. What fascinates most, however, are the undertones, the underlying atmospheres, and certain special effects: one can recognize something psychedelic, influences from jazz, and even some nuances close to Hendrix.

What emerges is a melting pot of sounds and references that blend well in the overall atmosphere. The album is a concept about the salmon and its famous upstream journey. There are only 5 tracks, but 3 deserve more attention: "Solar Music Suite," "The Salmon Song," and "Aftagild": the first two tracks are divided into 4 parts, and "Aftagild" even into 7. In these individual moments, we see the alternation of the general features of the album with the presence of one element first, then another, and then yet another. This also allows various musicians to showcase themselves, although the largest space is logically taken by Hillage's guitar and Miquette Giraudy on keyboards and synthesizer. Instrumental parts generally prevail, although at times Gilli Smyth’s voice, refined and psychedelic, makes an appearance.

"Fish Rising" is generally considered his finest moment in studio albums, as he later managed to produce good works without managing to replicate with equal skill. It certainly constitutes an interesting document for the Progressive lover, especially of Canterbury, and also for a broader audience, being an album with not particularly forbidding sounds.