Toshimaru Nakamura/ Ken Ikeda/Tomoyoshi — Green Heights

This cd comes in a very distinctive digi-pak - distinctive in the sense that its unusually unadorned: it’s plain white, except for a green bar along the top and the artist and title details. This lack of information and clutter is compensated for inside, however; with the recording information actually listing the tubes used to master individual tracks. The trio, whilst all singing from the same song sheet, come from very different starting positions with their set-ups. Nakamura coaxes a no-input mixer, Ikeda plays a SD404 (string decoder) and a DX7 (synth) and Date equips himself with toy piano, pump organ, vibraphone, piano and field recordings.

The overall tone of “Green Heights” is often droney in essence, often melodic and not afraid to be “light”, either. Its arguably something akin to ambient music, except made by (I assume) improvising musicians. The interplay of the trio’s differing sounds and approaches, brings out all of their complimentary qualities; creating a fascinating fusion. Indeed, as the trio negotiate the clear disparities and similarities between their set-ups, the listener can be forgiven for being unsure who’s doing what, at certain moments. These run alongside more obvious passages where the trio can be clearly separated: pastoral toy piano being accompanied by hissing, ultrasonic drones, for example. The album is divided into three titles: “Balcony I”, “Balcony II” and “Balcony III”; with the first and last further divided (into two tracks apiece). However, its most tempting to listen to the album as one long work - it does feel like a a very slowly spinning jewel, where you’re always seeing different angles of the same object. So, we have: slow, droning passages; earthy, melodic sections dominated by Date; darting dances and interruptions from all; razor sharp abrasion and sub-bass tones. “Green Heights” contains an incredible amount of colour, equal parts calming, playful, cryptic and powerful; there’s a wealth of detail to be uncovered.
 
I realise that this review has been somewhat vague, but I think that this is one album that deserves to be explored, not guided through - indeed, it would be a nigh impossible task to neatly summarise such an array of colours and tones. Its simply a masterful piece of work, assured and compelling. Whilst this isn’t “an ambient album”, the similarities are there to be noted; and its also there to be noted that where ambient and drone music can sometimes seem like the domain of the lazy or uninspired, here we see what a group of interesting, creative musicians can achieve.