Now, the title of this award, “Quirky Delight of 2024”, might be a bit playful on my part, but the winner is from a deadly serious album of class art rock, and I think the most well-received track I have played in my Progzilla Radio show.

Manic Xpression are a duo from Southern New Jersey, namely Chuck Miller who plays electric & acoustic guitars, bass, mandolin, ukulele, and electronics, alongside Mike Pagano on drums, acoustic guitar and recorders. They released Through the Hourglass in 2024, and the winning track is Labyrinth. As I said in my review:

“Labyrinth relates to complex, confusing structures originally designed to hold the Minotaur in Greek mythology. This is an epic length track over twelve minutes long and is a proggy fans delight. I love the mandolin and ukelele in this, some wonderfully intricate stuff, with medieval chamber music as well, all of which puts me in mind of the more extreme prog folk of The Decemberists, which I adore. The complexity of the structures comes across loud and clear on this, and some of it puts you in mind of ladies of the court navigating the maze at the behest of their lords, thoroughly lost and dependent upon being found by the laughing men. The guitar riffs are a joy, and the whole piece is about as unique as you will hear in 2024. I have embedded it below – sit down, turn the volume up as far as your partner or neighbours will allow, and wallow in a simply chaotic experience, with more changes and moods than you can shake a stick at, and one especially for fans of the bass guitar leading the charge musically, Miller & Pagano showing some seriously impressive rhythm section chops. Another contender for my epic of the year award, but I might well introduce a brand-new category, that of quirky prog delight of the year, because I think this is one of the finest pieces of music in what is already a crowded array of talent”.