Cornelius - Sensuous

I haven't been reviewing very many CD's on the electronica / ambient side of the fence but the latest release by Japan's Cornelius is one of the most beautiful recordings of the year. Jumping around from mellow acoustic vibes, mild Brian Wilson-esque mock orchestration and Thomas Dolby style experimentation; this CD may not be for everybody but I find that it does get better with every listen. Cornelius (aka Keigo Oyamada) has been performing as a solo artist since the mid-90's. His music has been described as challenging and an acquired taste. However, if you're always on the lookout for something new, than his music isn't that hard to comprehend. His last CD "Point" had garnered him much critical acclaim, and "Sensuous" seems to be a natural extension of that album. "Wateriodori" reminds me a little bit of latter day King Crimson, with a relatively simple bass line setting the tone, while various blips of ambience and sonic noodling help to fill out the song, transforming it into a real experience in headphones. "Gum" drives us through a speed metal landscape, complimented nicely by the following 37 second noise jumble entitled "Scum." The singles are great as well, although I don't think they'll be climbing the pop charts anytime soon. The first single, simply entitled "Music" is absolutely picturesque, particularly in the way the keyboard frantically sputters and belches during the second half of the song. And the last song "Sleep Warm" , gives us a demonstration of how a vocoder is to be properly used, with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

Downloads: Wataridori 2 mp3 / Point Of View Point mp3 (from the CD 'Point')
Listen to more of his music on his myspace page.
Purchase 'Sensuous' here.