Artist : Yui Onodera
Title : Entropy
Genre : Ambient
Year : 2009
Date : 11/2009
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks : 10
Label : Trumn
Source : CDDA
Encoder : Lame 3.97
Length : 47:13 min
Size : 57,8 MB
Tracklist:
----------
01.Entropy 01 06:39
02.Entropy 02 03:14
03.Entropy 03 05:41
04.Entropy 04 04:20
05.Entropy 05 04:40
06.Entropy 06 03:50
07.Entropy 07 05:00
08.Entropy 08 04:18
09.Entropy 09 03:50
10.Entropy 10 05:41
-------
47:13 min
** COMES PACKAGED IN 3-PANEL HEAVY
CARDBOARD SLEEVE **
Yui Onodera (b. 1982) was born and grown
up in Iwate but lives and works in
Tokyo. This 'Entropy' is the reissue of
his first work in originally
materialised on his own Critical Path
label in 2005. Entropy had been the most
sought-after item of all his releases
for many of his listeners after the
limited copies quickly ran out until
Trumn reissued. 2007 was most
significant year for Onodera, in which
he released three full length albums, a
7 inch vinyl, and a 3 inch CDR on all
different labels outside Japan. He kept
focussing on solo works but since two
years ago he started working on remote
collaborations respectively with Celer
in the US, The Beautiful Schizophonic in
Portugal, and Exit in Grey in Russia.
Two of the three are still going and
nothing of the three have been released
but he and his collaborators are
carefully looking for or will look for
the opportunities for making their works
in public. An English article about Yui
Onodera written by Tobias Fischer and an
interview by the same person are
available in the Tokafi webzine.
http://www.tokafi.com/search/page1/?
q=yui+onodera
'A flawless album' - Floor Sugar
'Entropy', by Japanese artist Yui
Onodera, is the second release by the
new label Trumn. It was released
simultaneously with T01, Tamaru's
'Figure', but explores an entirely
different scope of artistry through
listening and composition. Packaged in a
tall, 3-panel vertical case, with heavy
cardboard, and high-quality printing,
these are more than just albums, they
are reminders of just how beautiful and
special the full spectrum of
experiencing an album can be. With cover
photography by Erica Lai, spanning the
entire front and back of the album, and
design by Ricks Ang and April Lee of
Kitchen, the artwork is another
testament to the superb quality of
design.
'Entropy' was originally released on Yui
Onodera's own label, Critical Path, in
2005. It was his first release, and was
created when he was only 22 years old.
While the original release on Critical
Path sold out very quickly, Trumn has
given it a larger, and more expansive
focus these 4 years later. One
remarkable and surprising fact about
'Entropy', is that it was not changed in
any way from the original that was
released in 2005. Even though the option
to remaster, change or tweak was
available, it was decided that it would
remain the same. In these current times
when there are so many re-mixes, re-
masters, or small changes that artists
use to improve their works, it is
refreshing to see an album remain in its
original, untouched form. A classic
remains so.
From the first sounds that appear in
'Entropy', in Track 01 (all tracks are
untilted), I am reminded of the unique
reactions that I have each time I listen
to a release by Yui Onodera. These
sounds glide into audibility with a
gentleness and grace that remind me of
snapshots of moments from another world,
somewhere isolated and distant, and void
of decipherable notions. Track 01 is no
exception, creating a dark and grey open
expanse, characterized by a whirring
chorus of faint voice-like sound,
undercurrents of rising high-pitch
particles, and swelling motions that
eclipse vision and leave the track in a
faint, distant echo.
Track 02 represents an altogether
different phase of inversed reality,
presenting field recordings that have a
recollection of truth, but also the
crisp and altered misrepresentation of
imagination. The sounds have a contained
extent, as if inside of a rusted-over
kitchen crawling with crisp dysfunction,
and an almost insect-like frequency of
movement. Track 03 opens with a gentle
hum, reminiscent of an outdoor sound of
humming industries nearby. Wallowed
waves of guitar glide inside, opening up
a glistening but completely pure
harmonic stream that pulls tightly to
the sounds, expanding but restrained to
the final moments of silence. This track
represents examples of Onodera's unique
compositional methods, where multiple
movements enter the whole of music at
different stages, allowing for evolution
of a buildup, but while remaining direct
and entirely emotive. Alternations are
omnipresent, and gliding.
Track 04, a particular favorite,
continues in a similar, yet more gentle
form from Track 03. With its full bell-
like tone throughout, the gentle stream
is never broken, and travels gently and
solely across a barren space of time,
with small sparkles of pops and purrs
beneath the surface, while the main tone
rises and with a turn, displays such a
moment of emotional impact that its
almost impossible to listen on repeat.
The turns happen before you are aware,
and with precision that leaves you with
questions. Complication is so
impressive, here. In Track 05, there is
a domination of bubbling pops, far-off
echoes, and a whistling that highly
mimics a train passing in the distance,
separated by buildings. If I was to
imagine another scene, it would be the
greyness of empty city streets, hidden
by the haze of the afternoon, with
trains passing in the distance, their
lights the sole illumination from a
single apartment window. The perfect
soundtrack for the futurism of
modernity.
Track 06 is a full flush of beauty, with
an inner exploration of deep organs,
channeling lopping feedback of high
frequency static, playing with corners
of the stereo field. Nature makes rings
of sound here, transporting those
brilliant deep pools of sound further
into the deepest tunnels of the city.
The last time I listened to this, was on
a subway train. It seemed to last for
the duration of each station to station,
and to match the shakes of the car. With
an almost airy sound, Track 07 floats
through its entire length with a
peacefulness of perception and humanity.
Sounds are given great care for
duration, and for circumstance. There is
attention given to tenderness, and it is
most apparent here. Laying down a depth
similar to Track 06, Track 08 pushes the
listener into an even deeper, full
environment of pulsing tones, smoothed
deep sounds, almost bubbling and
exploding in distant earshot. The
melodies are slowly approaching, and
always changing with a stretched fervor.
With a slowly cascading opening, Track
09 enters similarly to Track 06, but
instead opening to lightness, through
beautiful harmonics. Pressures are
released, and the scratching sounds of
field recordings are apparent below, but
always soundtracked by that climbing
melody of expansion. It is lifting,
transcendent, and indeterminate. With
Track 10, we come to the finale, and for
this it was perfectly picked. With a
gently rising melody of guitar, the
sound is most entrancing, absolutely
warming, and as emotive as ever. To say
it is beautiful through optimism is too
much, because of the gentle tenderness
that is present, and seems just as
representative of sadness. What comes to
mind to me, is the word entropy, through
my own interpretations, and relations
here. How do we fit in these situations
and lives that we have? In a way, to me,
'Entropy' is more about understanding
the divisions, and how we continue and
experience passing these barriers.
http://www.trumn.com