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CD/DVD Releases: New Releases/Distributions From Musea For July

Posted on Sunday, June 26 @ 20:00:00 UTC by nightowl

What does the prolific label/distributor Musea Records have on tap for July? A slew of Progressive Rock, World, Jazz and "New Music" titles. In the first category, we have Yuka & Chronoship's Water Reincarnation: Japan, a country consisting of four main islands surrounded by the sea, have long benefited from, but at times been greatly suffered by, the natural cycle of water from the ancient times. Water Reincarnation, the debut album of Yuka & Chronoship, depicts such an ever-recurring cycle of water. From an almost cosmic perspective and with technical and musical richness, the grandiose concept album portrays the reincarnation of water: the rain turned into a river, a river poured into the sea, the sea forming clouds, and clouds turned back into the rain.

Yuka & Chronoship is a Japanese progressive rock band formed in 2009 by keyboardist / vocalist / composer Yuka Funakoshi – one of the few female prog-rock artists in the world – along with Japan’s three leading studio musicians: bassist Shun Taguchi, guitarist Takashi Miyazawa, and drummer Ikko Tanaka. Highly reminiscent of late 70s progressive rock, the sound of Yuka & Chronoship is reputed for its philosophical depth, lyrical brilliance, and technical virtuosity. Don’t miss the chance to explore the musical microcosm of Yuka & Chronoship!

Doctor No - Guerrers De Mitjanit: Guerrers De Mitjanit, Midnight Warriors, the second Doctor No album, represents a major step forward for the band, regarding their debut album El Bufó De La Cort Cort, both in composition and in the definition of their sound. Not a concept album, but the title track to the CD represents their first great opus at more than 24 minutes long. Successful mix of influences of its components, the Prog Rock classics, marking the bass guitar of Conrad, the vocals and drums of Enric and the sharp guitars of Vil, plus the clear jazz style of keyboardist Nestor. Interesting CD for a Prog Rock lovers.

[While the artwork is shown small here, trust me when I say the artwork, down to the logo, suggests strongly classic Marillion. There's a jester, a mirror, playing cards, wine bottles... all imagery to be found on any Fish-era album cover... although the detail and quality is not that of Mark Wilkinson's. Can't speak to the music, however. -ed.]

Netherland Dwarf - Moi Moi: Netherland Dwarf is a progressive rock project from Tokyo, Japan. Most tracks were programmed, played and produced by a Japanese keyboard player who started his career as a DJ in the dance music scene. Netherland Dwarf is his one-man project. As you can imagine, the overdubbed work by one musician has been limited to meditational ones, such as Mike Oldfield and German Electronics in the genre of Progressive Rock to date. However, the music that he produces is similar to classical Symphonic keyboard Rock such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Ekseption. With the latest technology he produces colorful heavy vintage 70's progressive sound with sensitive and pop feeling. The sense of Prog Rock is never heard at all, making it a very unique album. Moreover, he is well versed in Progressive Rock, and often writes reviews about Progressive Rock albums in Japan.

The Jazz title in their missive is La Poche À Sons - 2010: La Poche À Sons features Hugues Mayot (saxophone), Jean Lucas (trombone), Jér&ocaret;me Fohrer (double bass), Frederic Guérin (drums). Literally translated, their name means "pocket of sounds." This band, formed in 2002, explores a meeting point between acoustic rock, comtemporary jazz, fun and freedom. Also based on a high energy interaction between the musicians everthing might be possible. A cutting edge group that never forget to be melodic by searching a unique sound through their own compositions.


In World, it's TornaoD - Y.S. 2013: With this particularly accomplished third album, TornaoD propels itself into the major league! The CD starts like an ancient book, with a collection of forgotten myths and legends. TornaoD's richness of compositions and metal flavoured musical power will take you on a revival journey through intense tales from the past where reality mixes with fantasy. You will be moved by this surprising blend of styles and eras. Let's go for Y.S. 2013, Brittany's rock-folk-metal! A rare gem for your music library.


And in Musiques Nouvelle (New Musics) we have: Pierre Berthet & Frédéric Le Junter - L'enclume Des Jours and 1870 - Pogo Y 4 Historias De Horror. About the first: Raw concrete music. Tubular dums, horns, nails, wind and rotary organs, water droplets, automatic bow, springs, foot bass, iron wires, tins, barrels, mirrors, singing... So many indications to penetrate the music of Pierre Berthet and Frédéric Le Junter, two French artists. This is a clever mix between the soundscape of our society (the concrete item of the music) and the creative diversion for construction and composition, in order to give an expressive signification of this world. We really are in the center of the globalization of our lifes; our urban future based on our agricultural roots. These recordings of the miniCD (30 min long) were performed in the mid 90s, when Pierre Berthet and Frédéric Le Junter played duo, with already some memories recorded on a CD published in 1994 on the Vand'Oeuvre French label. Today, InPolySons produces unreleased material from the same days, composed for the ballet show Love Is A Stranger of the late William Douglas (1953-1996) (except the last piece which appeared on a Vand'Oeuvre compilation). These are sounds staged for us, meaning sounds through simple and raw words, as a metaphor of the real life.


And with 1870: 1870 (Mil Ochocientos Setenta in Spanish) is a present[-day] band playing Rock In Opposition made in Mexico. Musically speaking, references are also French-oriented, as they can be found in Art Zoyd's, or Belgian [band] Univers Zero's chamber music. There are also borrowings from Nazca, precursor of the genre in Mexico. Published as a joint-venture by the Musea and Luna Negra labels, the first album Pogo Y 4 Historias De Horror (2011) proves to be an avant-garde opus with no compromise, a true tour-de-force. To be discovered!

[Source: Musea]

Posted in Album Release News