I need something new to listen to

[arise_shine]

Help! I've been binging on a bunch of my old prog favorites (especially Rush, Genesis, Camel), and I'm getting kinda sick of my go-tos. There's not much in life I love more than finding new music to love.

I went through a yacht rock binge a few years ago. It started with Steely Dan, and I've explored the general yacht rock waters pretty thoroughly (I still listen to Dane Donohue daily). I love the hooks, smooth sounds, jazzy grooves, sophisticated chord structures, etc.

I kinda lost track of prog rock over the last 10 or so year, but I've been tuned enough to know that most of the popular newer stuff isn't really for me. I respect the careers and influence of Dream Theater, Tool, and Porcupine Tree, but ... That kinda thing isn't really for me.

Some likes/dislikes:
+ jazziness (groove, harmony)
+ tunefulness
+ keyboard focus
+ instrumental proficiency
+ calm/chill vibes
- metal & hard rock (unless it's *exceptionally* interesting and well done)
- gratuitous complexity and dissonance for its own sake (eg, math rock)
- focus on vocals/lyrics (I'm *really* randomly picky about vocals)
- compositional/harmonic simplicity

Like, are there any Happy the Man- or DFA-likes out there? Or, more albums like Camel's Rain Dances?

[Man In The Mountain]

Try HIROMI. Especially her earlier albums.

[smcfee]

Finch
Kenso
Maneige
Atlas
Sloche

[chalkpie]

How are your Canterbury chops? Some of the greatest stuff ever created imo:

Soft Machine
Caravan
Hatfield/North
Robert Wyatt
Egg
Gong
Kevin Ayers
National Health
etc, etc....

[Piskie]

Krautrock is fascinating - and I include the electronic stuff in that too. I've been burrowing into it for several months now.

[bigjohnwayne]

Echolyn's As the World, or their self titled 2012 album if you want something more mature and less frenetic.

[Don Arnold]

You may have already feasted on (or dismissed) this band, but I'll throw out IZZ.

If you haven't IZZ'd before, I'd suggest their new release "Collapse the Wave" as a good place to start. I think this hits some of the likes in your list.

[StarThrower]

Helmet of Gnats, instrumental, great tunes, killer guitar and keyboards, audiophile quality recordings.

Mike Keneally, brilliant songs and instrumentals, adventurous and wildly creative music. Give a listen to Hat, Boil That Dust Speck, Sluggo, Dancing, Wooden Smoke, and Scambot.

Jazzy:

Bruford: One Of A Kind
Brand X: Masques
John Scofield: Überjam
Oz Noy: Fuzzy
Scott Henderson: Vibe Station, Karnevel!
Kurt Rosenwinkel: Heart core
Chris Potter Circuits Trio

Brazilian trio, Caravela Escarlate features keyboards, bass and drums

[Czyszy]

Help! I've been binging on a bunch of my old prog favorites (especially Rush, Genesis, Camel), and I'm getting kinda sick of my go-tos. There's not much in life I love more than finding new music to love.

I went through a yacht rock binge a few years ago. It started with Steely Dan, and I've explored the general yacht rock waters pretty thoroughly (I still listen to Dane Donohue daily). I love the hooks, smooth sounds, jazzy grooves, sophisticated chord structures, etc.

I kinda lost track of prog rock over the last 10 or so year, but I've been tuned enough to know that most of the popular newer stuff isn't really for me. I respect the careers and influence of Dream Theater, Tool, and Porcupine Tree, but ... That kinda thing isn't really for me.

Some likes/dislikes:
+ jazziness (groove, harmony)
+ tunefulness
+ keyboard focus
+ instrumental proficiency
+ calm/chill vibes
- metal & hard rock (unless it's *exceptionally* interesting and well done)
- gratuitous complexity and dissonance for its own sake (eg, math rock)
- focus on vocals/lyrics (I'm *really* randomly picky about vocals)
- compositional/harmonic simplicity

Like, are there any Happy the Man- or DFA-likes out there? Or, more albums like Camel's Rain Dances?

Heyyy!!!!! What's up! I remember you from TheShizz!

[arturs]

Give this a shot. I thought of recommending this because you said you like yacht rock. These guys are mostly modern instrumental prog but every now and then pull out some good yacht moves. Note that their older albums sound nothing like this...

[Czyszy]

Anyway, I think you might enjoy Once and Future Band. Basically Steely Dan meets Todd Rundgren

[flowerking]

Gratuitous complexity + instrumental proficiency = Zappa. Don't know if you've listened to much or even his whole catalog, but if not, there's plenty there that might spark your interest. Personally, I'd start with One Size Fits All but if you want something jazzier, try Grand Wazoo, Waka Jawaka or maybe Burnt Weeny Sandwich.

[markwoll]

Zopp

[Nijinsky Hind]

May as well toss this out to you!
Meets some of your plusses. One or two of your minus’s.
https://youtu.be/87TLS-EnvoA?si=8QMuwWRneTtHfX1P

[auxfnx]

This is pretty damn spot on for your plusses and minuses

[rael74]

Echoing someone else here, I would also suggest Gong.

Their albums Angel's Egg, You, Shamal and Gazeuse are all excellent.

They will offer a lot of what you are looking for:
Strange other-worldly trippiness, playfully melodies, heavy riffs, jazz explorations.

Imagine if Barrett had stayed in Floyd, listened to Miles Davis and did even more drugs... and you have Gong.

[Zeuhlmate]

Hatfield and the North has it all.

[Dana5140]

I Am really enjoying the Ukrainian djent band Jinjer:

[JKL2000]

Help! I've been binging on a bunch of my old prog favorites (especially Rush, Genesis, Camel), and I'm getting kinda sick of my go-tos. There's not much in life I love more than finding new music to love.

I went through a yacht rock binge a few years ago. It started with Steely Dan, and I've explored the general yacht rock waters pretty thoroughly (I still listen to Dane Donohue daily). I love the hooks, smooth sounds, jazzy grooves, sophisticated chord structures, etc.

I kinda lost track of prog rock over the last 10 or so year, but I've been tuned enough to know that most of the popular newer stuff isn't really for me. I respect the careers and influence of Dream Theater, Tool, and Porcupine Tree, but ... That kinda thing isn't really for me.

Some likes/dislikes:
+ jazziness (groove, harmony)
+ tunefulness
+ keyboard focus
+ instrumental proficiency
+ calm/chill vibes
- metal & hard rock (unless it's *exceptionally* interesting and well done)
- gratuitous complexity and dissonance for its own sake (eg, math rock)
- focus on vocals/lyrics (I'm *really* randomly picky about vocals)
- compositional/harmonic simplicity

Like, are there any Happy the Man- or DFA-likes out there? Or, more albums like Camel's Rain Dances?

Are you Dane Donohue? I listened to the Dane Donohue album on Spotify the other day - I liked it, I'll need to listen to it more. I'll second the recommendation of Canadian band Sloche. The final moments of their album "Les Porches" are an amazing climax that should be heard.

[Dunamis]

I'll second the recommendation of Canadian band Sloche. The final moments of their album "Les Porches" are an amazing climax that should be heard.

You probably mean Maneige, although both Sloche albums are very good indeed.

[JKL2000]

^ Oops, right! Thanks.