Akai Ikuo — Language without words
Really the album is a wonderful boiling pot of instrumental sounds and textures that even at his most manic never forgets to keep it’s groove, fun edge. We have the use of saxophone, trumpet, vibraphone, Hammond organ and various synth/ keyboard/ piano elements, funky and blues guitar, bass and of course electro beat matter/ texturing – along with all manner of other sound matter that pops up along the albums run-away and groovy ride. Here's an idea of what musically mayhem we’re dealing with here; the track I don’t like hot days mixers together tight electro beats with steel drum tones and tensioned blues guitar groove, or Rain In Mitaka mixers funked groove with Japanese wooden zylophone air, rock/funk guitar strut and stuck electro beats, or Dual Ole Attack takes into a state were wondering bass tones meets Parisian aired accordion, steel drums, vibraphone tinkle, juddering IDM beats and sax. Really you don’t know quite what he’ll drop in next to the albums manic mix, which he mostly managers to keep very listenable with only once or twice getting a little too manic and mess for it's own good.
A great groove ridden and deranged sonic adventure of a record that will appeal to those who like their genre's mixed and sometimes oddly matched. The only small criticism is the cover and packaging just seems too grey and black for the sonic explosion inside, it should be instead muilt-coloured & manic like the music.