Artist : Tenniscoats
Title : Totemo Aimasho
Genre : Avantgarde
Year : 2007
Date : 07/2007
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks : 12
Label : Room40 RM415
Source : CDDA
Encoder : Lame 3.97
Length : 44:03 min
Size : 54,10 MB
Tracklist:
----------
01.hakka 00:44
02.aurora curtains 05:16
03.cacoy 05:25
04.kimininartai 02:07
05.broome 00:56
06.donna donna 03:40
07.jitsurei 05:07
08.before noon 04:09
09.hirei 05:22
10.rasen 04:45
11.midori 00:46
12.to do first 05:46
-------
44:03 min
Room 40 is a label that has already impressed us deeply
with its hand-picked selection of electronic minimamlism
from the likes of Keith Fullerton Whitman, Taylor Deupree,
Greg Davis and DJ Olive among many others, but this label
debut from Japan's Tenniscoats is by far its most ambitious,
endearing release to date.
For a start Tenniscoats operate in a much more inclusive musical
arena - their delicate blend of homespun melodies, traditional
Japanese songwriting and gorgeous instrumentation press much
more emotive buttons than the icy musical tundras often visited
by this label.
The packaging is also quite remarkable - a beautifully constructed
double-gatefold covered in metallic gold illustrations and washed-out
images - certainly one of the nicest looking objects we've stocked
this year.
The title of the album 'Totemo Aimasho' loosely translates as
"Lets Meet Very Much" - and apparently doesn't make much sense in
Japanese either - but the warm sentiment perfectly sums up this
remarkable album's otherworldly pop reductions.
The key to Tenniscoats' success is the fact that while they retain
that almost na∩ve, sweet quality you get on many discs of this kind,
they never resort to being meaninglessly twee - you have female
vocals and sugared electronics but it's done in such a way that
sidesteps obvious over-sentimentality or cringe-worthy childishness.
There are precious few squeaky toy sounds and chirping birds
present on this record and it's much appreciated, in place of this
we have detuned pianos, woodwind instruments and distorted
synthesizers, creating the sound you'd imagine Fennesz would
construct if he were to visit more traditional song structures.
Tenniscoats manage to reign in the sounds of the avant-garde and
knit them into accessible and wonderfully listenable vignettes which
you find yourself going back to again and again. There are clear
influences from bands such as the aforementioned Fennesz and
Scandinavia's Tape, and the whole free (freak?) folk in general,
maybe by way of Maher Shalal Hash Baz, but what Tenniscoats have
ended up with is an album which stands on its own as totally singular
and hugely enjoyable.
'Totemo Aimasho' is a record you can sink into and absorb bit by bit,
exploring and diving deep into that strange Eastern land of cherry
blossom and raw fish. Take our advice, go grab yourself one of the
most enjoyable leftfield pop treats we've come across so far this year.
ESSENTIAL PURCHASE.
http://www.room40.org/
http://www.tenniscoats.com/