Tenniscoats - Totemo Aimasho [Room 40 - 2007]Teniscoats debut is a charming quirky & sometimes hazily sad mix of tinkling pianos, warming & bobbing analogue electronics, light jazzy tones, folk, indie guitar chug and often cute Japanese female vocals. All making a buoyant & melodic album that also drifts into to more poignant, sad waters. The project has seven members in all who paint the albums audio colours with a mix of piano, keyboards, bass, guitars, Saxophones, organic percussion, Flute, electronics and field recordings. All With wonderful cosy and comforting production by Room 40 label owner & ambient/ electronic artist Lawrence English whom also adds synths, electronics and field recordings. The whole album really bobs by in a very pleasing manner- tinkling tones meet analogue synth woshers and wirls, melodic sax slides by often dipping into more autumnal contemplative mood. Electric guitar wonderings float with flute richness and cinematic wonder. I think the thing that really impresses here is that the album mangers to be quirky with out been twee & nicely off set it’s quirkiness with more thoughtful drifts. A rich, soothing and melodic album that mangers to be both playful and more contemplative, Mixing together various genres in a rewarding manner. Roger Batty
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