AOKI TAKAMASA + TUJIKO NORIKO

28

CD, Fat Cat

Dreamlike electronica with alike dreamy female vocals is around a lot, so what does it need to make recordings stand out from the rest? To reduce the attraction of the duo of Takamasa and Noriko to its exotica-bonus is being daftly ignorant, even if there is some truth to it, in as much as the aloof and world-weary singing in Japanese adds another layer of mystery and esoteric (in a good sense) insight or outlook or visionary. Very much in the way as the Icelandic language did for Sigur Ros; which should show that using a strange language (to the English/French/German/Spanish-accomodated western listener) is only worthwhile if combined with something else. Though I am not at all sure this kind of music would work with the German lingo – does that make vocals just another instrument? Or does the simple fact that I don’t understand them? Well, Noriko seems to be doing it herself at times. Does it add to the exotica bonus that both artists are expats living in Paris? Or is that just another tidbit of information that washes on the seeds of the worldwide net and accumulates in niches and holes? Let’s get on to some answers.

It is the dense and yet filligrane minimal electronic songstructures that make up the songs, while the vocals lay the melodies on top and the mix of both is the core value of the attraction of “28”. This varies from almost but not really akward harmonies, as in the spooky (but friendly spooky) “when the night comes” to minute pop-sensibilities, as on my favourite track “Alien”. Which shows that I have a soft side waiting to break through, doesn’t it? The tracks are crisp and clean and spread an air of untouchability, like friendly ghosts or elves. The avant-garde and experimental character is low; or rather: unasked for by the artists. From within the quirky beats and distorted keys slowly a laidback atmosphere evolves, of course, also carried by the vocals, so much so that even within a track called “the night comes” it is possible to hear the sun rise. This one, by the way, being the only track to show some noise-affinity towards the end, when a bunch of crashing metal pieces and gothic chorale-sounds mingle with Noriko doing a short hint at Otis Redding. There are surprising moments like this hidden here and there on the record, but overall this is a friendly record that doesn’t demand to be something that it isn’t.

The moods vary from the almost instrumental “Doki Doki Last Night” with its abundance of digital-noise percussion interweaving and mingling to build a nice piece of IDM, to tracks more dependent on the voice of Noriko with only the slightest hint of electronica underneath it. In the meantime of the record she changes from tranced singing that would put Joanna Newsom at shame to speaking and whispering to vocal experiments that are somewhere between Björk and Iris Garrelfs.

There are so many preposterous electronica records and projects and artists out there, who in word or act are constantly loudly demanding superstar status and the gold medal for having completely revolutionized music – or so it seems. Which is not at all a bad thing in itself, but usually their records won’t hold any of the hype and glory heaped upon them on the day of their release when listened to about half a year later (not to mention several years later. Several years is a timespan not at all existing for these people). “28” on the other hand feels like a small album, but one that is able to stay. After all, only time will tell – but there is no sense in waiting five years for this review just to tell you – but also from the start this appearance of substance and quality is a step closer to the better thing. Even if – but that is only a thought for the sake of completeness – “28” doesn’t stand the test of time.

Takamase and Noriko each have quite an impressive and interesting bunch of releases to show for. Tujiko Noriko of course known to me by her releases on Austrian electronica extra ordinary label Mego. But there seems to be a lot more to be explored. Exchanging samples and bitparts of songs with other artists is a common way of work for Takamasa (see his latest release on op.disc together with Taeji Sawai). Together they have managed to wipe off the mechanicality and polished chrome surfaces of a lot of electronica music and spark up the genre with a human warmth and sensibility, that makes it more welcome amidst the cold techno-minimalists and the young dudes in leather jackets that only want to rock out. Ow, seems as if I am really more a soft type.