The Alan Parsons Project
The Instrumental Works

Measured, incisive, and "airy". The instrumental tracks of the Project are, in my opinion, the real soul of the group; in them, indeed, one can recognize the peculiar elements of the band, capable of creating incredibly linear, catchy instrumentals, with a well-defined yet complex and imaginative architecture. Not at all prolix or baroque, like those of many progressive groups, they are even more memorable than the sung pieces of the group: the latter, although often having excellent melodies, still base themselves on exceptional instrumental inventions.

Pipeline opens the show, an electronic tune with a hypnotic cadence that might remind you of the more famous "Mammagamma," but in truth, it evolves in a very different way. The crystalline sound of the Fairlight is well compensated by Mel Collins' sax, which dominates especially in the second part. Overall, the track is very atmospheric and fluid.
Where is the Walrus could be the soundtrack of an action movie. Running over 7 minutes, an unusual thing for the Project, it has a very rocking and energetic sound. The keyboards are heavily amplified, the sax sneaks in at just the right moments, and even Bairnson’s guitar does an excellent job. It certainly has a very Eighties appeal; listening to it truly gives the sensation of watching Miami Vice. It’s very energizing and works great with a good hi-fi system.
I Robot is not among my favorite instrumental pieces, even though it is one of the most celebrated. It's very spacey, and perhaps, in this case, good old Alan wanted to overdo it. The repetitiveness is a bit exhausting, and in my opinion, it is not among the most incisive tracks.
Mammagamma is the most famous piece of the Project and has an almost-disco groove that's really irresistible. It's easy to write scores with many different notes: try instead to choose only a few and build a great piece with a syncopated rhythm like this one.
Hawkeye has a very joyful and dynamic feel: it lifts the mood, and the explosive sax solo is very fitting; the percussion is very prominent. Honestly, I didn't think the Project also had a "festive" side, given that it almost always has a serious, dramatic, or solemn air.
Voyager once again features few but incisive notes, even if there is a sensation that the piece doesn't "start." It presents itself as a brief intro of just over two minutes, which, however, doesn't have a completed development.
Paseo De Gracia is truly original. The initial drum beats combined with the keyboard chords are phenomenal, as is the acoustic guitar solo (another unusual thing for the Project). One of the best pieces found in the underrated Gaudi. In three and a half minutes, fluidity and imagination are concisely condensed.
Urbania might appear as a slightly strange piece at first listen. The sound might be a bit too clean and studied, but the track has a unique almost "Fusion" style. Excellent, therefore, is the work of the drums which ventures into odd times. For the rest, the piece is quite cool and makes me feel a bit "yuppie" when I listen to it.
The Gold Bug is a true classic, a dreamy instrumental that is one of the Project’s battle horses, as well as having been a good success. It has a very relaxed pace. The bass opens the piece well, keyboards come into play, and then sax all-out. An excellent performance and especially very imaginative.
Genesis Ch. 1. V. 32 has a somewhat psychedelic overture, which then evolves into a crescendo assisted by the guitar. Epic as usual, although in their place I would have skipped the background vocals.

It can therefore be concluded that the idea of collecting the best instrumentals of the group is very successful, as it summarizes the style of the Project well. Beyond the songs with which they had the most success (like Don't Answer Me which is certainly not among the best, it's too pop), they are primarily a band focused on the instrumental aspect of compositions, although it also reveals depth in the lyrics of the sung tracks. Anyone deciding to listen to this group for the first time might as well start with the instrumentals: it's a safe bet.