From: Wesley (wesleyc_at_cox.net)
Date: 2003-06-16 01:20:43
Reviews :: Tujiko Noriko, Samurai Jazz, Kurokawa Ryoichi
apparently, Tujiko has a new one--features Aki Onda (Audio Sports). and
there's Samurai Jazz. take a listen to the sound samples (3 full songs)
at the link below--track 2, "isomorphism," sounds good at the minute
mark, like Jaga Jazzist meets Rasa.
http://www.cubicmusic.com/english/release/cm11.html
-Wesley
-- source: Real Tokyo Tujiko Noriko: From Tokyo To Naiagara [CD] Tujiko Noriko has carved herself a niche somewhere between electronica and singing-songwriting with a style that's everything but artistic, and that you can either love or hate. Fans of her previous releases will dig her new album anyway, so here's one for the other half. Sit back, reset your mind, and listen. When you're not intrigued right away by the psychotic, minimal electro-bossa of the opener "Narita Made," something's probably wrong with you. The roughness of her first albums shines through only occasionally, but this doesn't mean that "From Tokyo..." is a less provocative record. But it's as elaborate and mature as her naive approach allows it, and a look at the credits makes clear why. With producer Aki Onda and guests like Riow Arai or Hosomi Sakana (Maju, Neina), some exceptional talents in Japanese electronic music have joined forces to create Noriko's finest album to date. With English translations of the lyrics (provided by RT's vice editor-in-chief). (Editorial Staff 4.5/5) Samurai Jazz: meme? [CD] This is a thrilling sound collage piece with elements such as noise samples, trombone improsations and jazz breaks popping up one after another. The incredibly colourful palette of minutely edited sound fragments will make you wonder how many different sound sources were thrown into this one. Altogether, though, the album is kept in a thick jazz taste, which makes it accessible also to those who are otherwise not so much into experimental stuff. The contrast of stop and go makes this album a really exciting one. (Ikeda Maiko 4/5) Ryoichi Kurokawa: Copynature [CD/DVD] Ryoichi Kurokawa, a creator of both sounds and visuals who is known among others from the artwork for Aoki Takamasa's "Indogo Rose" album, presents his first collection of works on a CD and a DVD (picture). Themed "original and reproduction" and dealing with the distortion of images in our memory, his visual works consist of cut-up and rearranged pictures, while the music underlines that with delicate sounds and machine-like noises that are given new shapes through subtle rhythms and melodies. As you will imagine, without seeing the visuals at the same time the music is somewhat abstract and not clearly understandable (even more than the other way round). Although the good balance of high tones and microscopic sounds on one side and low tones and beats on the other makes the CD an enjoyable acoustic experience, the DVD is definitely more rewarding. (Andreas 3.5/5) http://www.realtokyo.co.jp/english/book/f_book.htm -- The Eclectic Sounds of Japan [Sound :: Lounge] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoundLounge