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Fantastic work from a group who are way more than just the sum of their name! The combo is definitely jazz, only a bit rock, and really provide a funky experience on most of their numbers – in the same sort of wicked blend of acoustic and electric jazz elements that you'd find on MPS Records at the start of the 70s! The musicians here are Swiss, but come from the same mindset as that famous German label – and like some of their contemporaries across the European scene, they were young players who were really open to new ideas – which they let flow from their fingers over the course of these cool long tracks!

The lineup shifts a bit over the course of these recordings, and there's some real surprises in the roster of musicians –w ith players who include Bruno Spoerri on electric tenor and sopranino sax, Dave Lee on vibes, Hans Kennel on trumpet, Christy Doran on guitar, Freddy Meier on tenor, Kenny Schmidt on drums, Hans Foletti on bass, and even a young Irene Schweizer on electric piano. Titles include "If It Wasn't For Dicky", "Krivo Sadovsko Choro", "The Starter", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", "Cheyenne", "Blues No Blues", and a version of the James Brown tune "Let Yourself Go" – Dusty Groove

Jazz, soul and hip-hop influenced the collection of nine songs takes you on a gorgeous journey with rap, instrumentals and soulful vocals.

The album opens with the immediately immersive Cloudy Day featuring the captivating vocal presence of Minna Forouzandeh. As an opening track, it’s a winner. Minna also features on several tracks such as Battlefield, Dark Smoke and Cut to the Cheese, and carries each into the highly-seductive genre of lo-fi/neo-soul. Elegant, and dreamy and all enthralling.

Between these sumptuous singles, the band produce two modern hip-hop tracks both of highly-listenable quality. UK Rapper Isatta Sheriff spits rhymes, fluid and sassy on Stepney Tale. Her life reflected in engaging verses. And the single – Stay Mellow features fellow Dane Blacc El who delivers a smoother rap, with a Q-Tip, Arrested Development style of flow. There are 5.41 minutes here to savour. And interluded between these tracks are three instrumentals, Danish Design Part 1 & 2 and Club Berlin, demonstrating their jazz-influenced roots, with edgy beats, electronic keys and samples. The groove on these is endlessly-playable. Each track earns its inclusion and announces Athletic Progression as a band with an exceedingly bright future.

Dark Smoke is an album to inhale, absorb and enjoy – Scandinavian Soul

Pure literature. That's how DJ and businessman Takayuki Fujisawa（藤沢隆行）described Makoto Matsushita's（松下誠）2nd album from April 1982, "The Pressures and the Pleasures" in his review in "Japanese City Pop". Fujisawa was probably referring to the four songs/stories contained within this Matsushita magnum opus. Yup, there are eight tracks in "The Pressures and the Pleasures" but according to the singer-songwriter himself in the liner notes, those eight make up four large songs. – Kayo Kyoku Plus