Artist : Kazumasa Hashimoto
Title : Gllia
Genre : Lo-Fi / Indie
Year : 2006
Date : May-2006
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks : 12
Label : Noble
Source : CDDA
Length : 44:27 min
Size : 63,5 MB
Tracklist:
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01.theme 01:47
02.mr. gleam 05:21
03.monochrome prone 06:17
04.001 [far] 01:59
05.ne connissons 04:41
06.ruinruin 03:59
07.gllia 06:15
08.002 [esdia] 01:38
09.milmmils 04:17
10.drama 03:39
11.the happy days passed like a dream 02:39
12.curtainfall 01:55
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44:27 min
Tokyo-based composer / pianist Kazumasa Hashimoto has
already accumulated significant praise for his first two
albums æYupiÆ and æEpitaphÆ on Plop, which both captured
his vivid fusion of acoustic instrumentation, electronic
processing, field recordings and found sounds in sharp
detail. This third album æGlliaÆ looks set to widen
HashimotoÆs growing reputation even further and shows the
classically-trained producer crafting a dreamy blend of
instrumental arrangements (cello, piano, glockenspiel and
drums, to name but a few), subtle melancholic vocals and
meticulous electronics, resulting in a listening experience
similar to Leaf artist Colleen.
Opening track æThemeÆ nods towards the Morr label with its
gossamer-delicate fusion of wistful processed vocals,
delicate acoustic instrumentation and subtle, grainy
electronics, while æMr. GleamÆ comes across as the
slow-burning link between Tortoise, Cornelius and
Stereolab, with just a stray hint of FM soft-rock
atmosphere lurking in the corners. æMonochrome PromeÆ
meanwhile traces a glittering path strewn with childlike
glockenspiels and brooding cello undertones in one of this
albumÆs most chamber-music oriented moments, before
æMilmilsÆ bends oddly-processed and detached-sounding voice
synthesis around a swelling backdrop of bells and strings,
yielding a particularly vivid contrast between the acoustic
and synthetic.
The sense of quirky elegance throughout also calls to mind
the looming influence of Yellow Magic Orchestra, something
that makes perfect sense when you consider that Hashimoto
has worked previously with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Sketch
ShowÆs Haromi Hosono û both YMO alumni. Enveloping,
heartfelt and subtly poetic, æGlliaÆ well deserves
investigation.