ARTIST: Euphoria
TITLE: White Pattern
LABEL: 123 Records
GENRE: Indie
BITRATE: 183kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 49m total
RELEASE DATE: 2007-03-02
RIP DATE: 2007-03-21
Track List
----------
1. Reverse 5:23
2. Oneday (Album Mix) 4:27
3. Anemo 5:20
4. Usual Game 4:13
5. Come And Go 5:27
6. (Un)Seen Circle 4:56
7. Dograce 5:45
8. Blue 4:36
9. White Pattern 9:07
Release Notes:
Euphoria started out like most young post-rock bands, with big eyes and a small
stomach. The trio's earlier work is characterized by words such as epic,
ambient, and experimental, and at some point critics expect musicians to evolve
a bit from the pedal worship and learn to actually write a few cohesive tracks.
Hell, maybe even sing a little. The notion that post-rock bands lack direction,
or that they are unable to develop a personal identity among the crowd, is
largely inaccurate. In an experimental genre, progress does not come in great
leaps and bounds, but rather in small, exploratory steps. These bands concern
themselves not with record sales and music videos; the focus is the music
itself, and the subtleties and minutia, which are so minuscule that a casual
listener may have trouble distinguishing one band from another, are exactly the
forces that drive the artists, and listeners, year after year and separate one
band from another. Euphoria's sophomore album, White Pattern, exemplifies this
process.
Previously, the noteworthy Euphoria tracks were the lumbering epics, such as
"Fly," "Ferriswheel (In a Morning Mist)," and "Seabed Curtain." The smaller,
more timid tracks were less exciting. They were dwarfed in size and sound, and
often included vocals which awkwardly fit in with the surrounding music. I do
think at this point in time the evidence is well stocked in favor of bands not
singing during a ten-minute instrumental track that is going to tear a whole or
two in the speaker system by the its end. Just let the guitar do all the
talking.
White Pattern immediately rewrites Euphoria's mission statement. Engaging guitar
melodies wrap the listener into a warm embrace, and for the first time, it
becomes readily apparent exactly how talented this trio is. The texturing
involved in "Reverse" is flawless; the five minutes unfold so smoothly that each
twist and turn is just a continuation of the last movement. Yosuke Kinoshita's
stellar, stellar drumming reveals itself in this track, and for the length of
the album he doesn't let this dominance of his craft loose. Vocals often have a
stronger appearance on White Pattern, not necessarily in abundance, but in terms
of strength in the mixing level. The band's new instrumental approach lends
itself naturally to a vocal presence, and Hiroyuki Morikawa's calm voice helps
guide the album away from monotony by offering some variety in the sonic
landscape.
In many ways, melody is now the main focus of Euphoria's attention. As such,
these short, organic tracks really flourish with a newfound vitality that was
previously missing among the monolithic ones that demarcated earlier releases.
The one track that does fight against the grain is the title track, which closes
the album with a nine minute exclamation point. "White Pattern" carries a
nostalgic feeling; even though it's clearly the cathartic focal point of the
album, the track lacks the experimental ambient feel that is normally attached
to such works, and instead is presented with a much cleaner, smoother energy.
Again, this fluidity is one of the selling points of the album and even allows
the band to turn a conceptual 180 in the albums closing moments without
suffering from any ill effects.
This year has already seen a strong movement from bands resisting the urge to be
"loud" and still offering a more than satisfying work of art. The likes of Six
Parts Seven, Tulsa Drone, and The Bird Ensemble, among others, are painting a
new face for instrumental rock in 2007. White Pattern is another addition to
this collection, albeit at a different mode of functionality. This is a truly
remarkable album from a rising band in Japan's instrumental world; it's
wonderful to witness a band blossom into something as beautiful as what Euphoria
has become.