Porcupine Tree
„Signify“
Psychedelic, Progressive Rock. 1996

"Signify" represents a turning point for Steven Wilson and his project Porcupine Tree (PT), because here Wilson is on board with the whole band to create the album. PT - a psychedelic, electro-spacey project becomes a band and slowly strips off the slightly Floyd-like character. "Signify" shows the direction for the future - more song-oriented, catchy, loud-quiet elements, harder riffs, rockier, more progressive. Signify is so interesting for PT heads like me precisely because it combines psychedelic sound structures with progressive rock and more pleasant melodies without becoming too poppy. From "Signify", without the subsequent slightly "Brit-pop"-heavy albums "Stupid Dream" (1999) and "Lightbulp Sun" (2000), the most interesting, but much rockier, metal-heavy phase begins for me. From “In Absentia” (2002) onwards, PT has the ability to create perfectly chiselled albums that combine pop, rock, metal, folk, psychedelic, kraut-rock and progressive rock. But back to “Signify”.

While in the ambient “Bornlivedie” a sonorous radio voice invites us to relax to romantic music, the following instrumental “Signify” shows the rock side, not romantic music. The way the slight “industrial” transition from “Bornlivedie” to “Signify” works is really strong. “The Sleep Of No Dreaming” brings Floyd-like, psychedelic rock. The first highlight straight away. The short “Pagan” brings a dark, ambient atmosphere. The folky start “Waiting Phase One” is pleasing with its Floyd-like feel and great guitar solo. “Waiting Phase Two” brings a spacey, psychedelic structure that becomes much more bombastic towards the end. Instead of highlighting highlights, I’ll say it straight away: the whole album is a feast for the ears! In its dark style, “Sever” breaks up what we’ve heard before with short, brighter pop phases. If it’s going to be pop, then please do it like this. “Idiot Prayer” starts quietly, picks up in the middle, drops off, and picks up again at the end. The sampled speech is psychedelic. Great. “Every Home Is Wired” is about the ever-growing internet. Folky, poppy, and the only song that I just listen to. However, the last minute, which is industrial and spacey, makes up for a lot. The psychedelic “Intermediate Jesus” brings us a preacher who warns us about the devil. The whole song comes alive with its convoluted guitar playing, drums, and playful bass lines. Psychedelic prog describes it best. “Light Mass Prayer” is very spacey, and the closer “Dark Matter” carries this ambience with it, but is much more pleasant. I'll put up with it.

A conclusion that is not difficult for me. PT discovers and develops into a band. Psychedelic, prog rock, kraut, folk is the mix. Less Pink Floyd aspects, more prog and rock. Song oriented. Technically top.

Chris Maitland – Drums
Colin Edwin – Bass
Richard Barbieri – Keyboard, Synthesizer
Steven Wilson – Vocals Guitar
Remastered by S. Wilson 2015, Reisue 2021.

Signify 1996
In Absentia 2002
Deadwing 2005
Fear Of A Blank Planet 2007
The Incident 2009
Anesthetize – Live In Tilburg 2008
We Lost The Skyline Live 2008
Octane Twisted Live 2012
Closure/Continuation Live 2022

The photos are all from my CD. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.