2010年 06月 3日 木曜日 21:29

Jon Thompson’s Oppressed by The Line has been one of those finds Club AC30 has brought in to the musical kingdom of mine. His sui generis electronic work behind the desks have created a blooming ambiance giving this need of gazing at shoes if I may express the feeling roughly.

As the name tells; Oppressed by the Line’s third release Kiku (out through Drifting Falling) is highly inspired by the enigmatic world of far eastern cult Japan. Speaking of; Kiku - chrysanthemum is the national flower and seal of the imperial in Japan.

Album opener Mountain Mist is a come hither piece foreseeing the saturating ambiance coming up next. It is as if you are wandering over the hills of the rainy island, with the waves coming back and forth in your ears. Then comes the instrumental piece Sunset from The 16th Floor, bottoming out the etherealness to the bits animating that deaf mute Japanese girl Chieko’s balcony in the movie Babel. Rhythmical beats telescoping with repressed vocals; Paper Cranes promises to be the catchiest piece in the release. That relaxation feeling came through the repeating kicks keeps hanging on One Thousand Red Stars. This piece makes me recall very much beloved of mine Goddamn Electric Bill; which is also a shining one-man project hailing from Jason Torbert. Next song Shinkansen makes an appropriate opening filled with outdoor recordings off public stations, human noises…etc. Given that Shinkansen refers to that infamous Japanese Bullet Train. One can imagine the speed and darkness and blur traveling in their own private shinkansens. No matter if it has been experienced or not before.

Final two tracks are remixes of Sunset From The 16th Floor by Tim Ingham’s Winterlight and Mountain Mist by Japanese electronica artist Taro Kawasaki. Especially the Winterlight remix is quite filtering and refreshing unlike ‘some’ remixes slaying the originality of musical pieces.

Mixing that familiar ambiance into the oversea curiosity floating from the land of the rising sun; Kiku extends itself to be one fine seven-track pleasure.

-Champers