Search - Aiko :: Yume No Naka No Massugu Na Michi

An album from a music major. Depth is contemporary...

Lightbearer | Lakewood, WA USA | 06/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I used to collect Japanese pop CDs. I was pretty dedicated about it. I bought new CDs without any clue as to what might be contained within. So, you could say my purchase of Aiko was a bit of an experiment. Fair to say, but it is an experiment that wound up turning out quite perfect. There is not very often the chance to review or sample Japanese pop, but my hobby of collecting these usually artistically covered CD albums knew few boundaries, and the risk of purchasing music I might not like was not a boundary by any means. I must admit and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I usually go for and mostly expect plastic pop when purchasing a J-pop album, not unlike what you might hear on an Anime or something. This album couldn't be more different than that description. It is a very adult-contemporary jazz, and in some cases almost even sounds big-band. You can guess that I wasn't amused at first, when popping this CD in and hearing the very velveteen, nightclub-style jazz start to flow around the room. Oddly enough, the only reason (I realized), that I took it objectively at first, was a prejudice towards adult-contemporary music, towards music that is mature and as far away from "plastic" as can be. This is the type of music played on vintage instruments. The type of music in which the album cover is later auctioned off on some website for significant numbers. At first the sound of it, the impression it implies, same as jazz, may dismay you if you're not a jazz fan, which I ordinarily am not. But the album will continually play through and although you won't be aware of it at first, you will become immersed in these songs. Jazz itself has a potential to create an atmosphere that is smoother than any other music can touch. Generally, however, most jazz these days is only jazz in it's sound and style, not for what it does or what it achieves. I've heard of jazz described as "smooth," "relaxing," and all sorts of other synonyms to relate to something that tames. For music to have this affect is a bit chilling! But definitely in a curious way, a way I hope that you'll want to experience for yourself. There's a song on this CD, track 9 I do believe, that starts with the most billowy piano keying. Aiko herself has a very refined voice, that I would say is made for this sort of music! Her soprano voice becomes so much a part of the song, it couldn't be more fitting. She's actually a music major. She didn't self-teach herself with a garage-rock band. I've actually looked for nuances in her singing that might portray what professional, university-level training might bring. I haven't been able to pinpoint it on one thing. She holds a note like no other, but it's not at the peak of her voice but in the middle. She has a very silky tone to her voice that you would think should become annoying after a while, but she must know exactly what to leave out in order to bring the soprano high, but leave your ears in bliss and total enjoyment. It's just the most unique phenomenon! When she sings the bibbity-bop lines in these jazz songs, it almost sounds like she's going monotonous, and on purpose, but it works perfectly! To actually stray from melody and use a style to fit the tempo of the music, and to do it without compromising anything...That has to be what being a music major brings! I love this album for its style, and that it keeps its style throughout. This is truly an album with a theme."