The songs in this EP are all pure rock 'n' roll and extremely catchy. The first track, Solar Spectra, gives a sampling of what is to come---a collection of cool mid-tempo tracks. Cruisin' London, my favourite track, includes samples from ABC broadcasts and has some good rhythm and lead guitar work. Hold on to Me, the third track, is probably the most mainstream of their tunes. The remix sounds pretty similar to the previous version. The Whispering is slow and balladic. The keyboards are always a great supplement to the songs, without going over the top, and the drumming is tight. I like the vocals best on Solar Spectra, and the lyrics are thoughtful. The mix is clean, perhaps a bit too much so, and balanced. The group reminds me a lot of a cross between Queen, Genesis, Yes, and The Who.
Phreeworld have grown musically since their first EP, Boost the Signal. The band still plays progressve/art rock, but there's a strong electronic noise undercurrent. Most importantly, the band has come up with a distinctive musical sound, except for the vocals which don't mix in well with the music and appear to "float" on top. For music of this nature, which almost borders on symphonic, Phreeworld would be best served with vocals like Geoff Tate of Queensryche or Bruce Dickinson, i.e., someone in the operatic style. The music is really spacey and cool, and there're times when the guitar work really shines. However, it's the keyboard that dominates, and in fact, I think it's the best aspect of the whole band. This is definitely worth checking out if you're into the Yes/Genesis type progressive rock.