5

Album from Japanese instrumentalists.

Being someone who tends to react to music emotionally I place a large degree of importance on lyrics, so, when an album such as 'Odori' is thrown at me I'm not sure how to react. Founded in Japan by Hirohito Ihara, a pianist, this is a largely experimental project. Apart from a couple of brief and abstract "ah ah ah's" this album is entirely instrumental.

Beginning with the very brief and suitably titled 'Opening', the album has some beautiful moments such as 'Suna', all of which have me anticipating more, namely some equally beautiful lyrics to support the well-crafted music.

This album uses electronics alongside more classical instruments to create a pleasant listening experience, and the result is an album with a calming and relaxing effect. The layered approach to sound is effective, yet the music lacks the originality it might achieve were it complimented by vocals. Such experimental projects have little crossover potential, and after a while each song begins to sound indistinguishable from its predecessor. An interesting but rather lacking project with a lasting effect of lethargy and nothing more.