The Apparatus - Koenjihyakkei - Hundred Sights Of Koenji

You are here: Home

Koenjihyakkei - Hundred Sights Of Koenji

Sunday, 22 June 2008

Editor's rating

9.6

out of 10

Reviewed by:
Chris Alfano
Top 10 Reviewer
View all my reviews
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Average user rating: 0.0
0 User reviews

View details
Read editor review
Read user reviews
Write review

Music Information

Track Listing:
01. Ioss
02. Doi Doi
03. Molavena
04. Gepek
05. Yagonahh
06. Ozone Fall
07. Zhess
08. Zoltan
09. Avedumma
10. Sunna Zarioki

Artist: Koenjihyakkei
Title: Hundred Sights Of Koenji
Genre: Progressive Rock
Release Date: 11 March 2008
Format: Full-length
Country: Japan
Official Website
Official Store
Myspace Profile
Last.fm Profile
Purchase from Amazon.com

Koenjihyakkei - Hundred Sights Of Koenji

Reissue of debut album by Skin Graft Records.

Bookmark & Share

Free social bookmarking plugins and extensions for Joomla! websites! title=

Editor review

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful


Overall rating (weighted)		9.6
Musicianship		9.0
Composition		10.0
Experimentation		10.0
Production		9.0
Value		10.0

Long-winded review introductions tend to be a mind-numbing endeavor, regardless of which end of the pen you happen to be on. However, recounting the latest album by Japan's Koenjihyakkei without some degree of historical context would be like explaining quantum physics to an indigenous tribe of herdsmen. Thus, a basic understanding of progressive rock's more "difficult" subgenres is quite essential when attempting to comprehend a release of such esoteric magnitude.

Generally speaking, Koenjihyakkei occupy a dark corner of the progressive rock pantheon known as "zeuhl". This obscure subgenre was founded in 1969 by an eccentric, yet fiendishly talented Frenchman named Christian Vander. It was his penchant for combining fusion, symphonic rock, classicism, and avant-garde/sci-fi weirdness which compelled Vander to form the legendary Magma. Over time, many zeuhl bands (whether Magma or those they inspired) started incorporating tribal rhythms and military cadences in order to heighten the dissonance and musical tension which became one of the genre's trademarks.

Jump ahead to the mid 1980s. Tokyo-based drummer Tatsuya Yoshida found himself sufficiently inspired by Magma's confounding quirkiness to form his own band, Ruins. This outfit set itself apart from other zeuhl acts by employing only two musicians: Yoshida (on percussion) and various bass guitarists (there have been four in the band's history). Yoshida's complicated song structures and head-spinning rhythmic schemes were so intricate that he reportedly composed them in score form, just to keep his band mates from getting lost in the mire.

Despite releasing several acclaimed albums under the Ruins moniker, Yoshida expanded his musical efforts in 1994 with a side project called Koenjihyakkei. 'Hundred Sights of Koenji' actually served as the band's debut album, and here it has been reissued by Skin Graft Records. The most striking difference between this band and Yoshida's parent project is the comparatively straightforward rhythms, which are often presented in common time signatures. Opening track "Ioss" incorporates the aforementioned military cadences with several off-key excursions (0:57) which show that despite its more conventional aspects, this project is anything but typical. A series of aggressive guitar screams and whammy bar dives enter the mix at the 3-minute mark as the vocal chorus belts out its final minute of monosyllabic mayhem.

Second track "Doi Doi" begins with a sublime melody of voice and xylophone which is alternately punctuated by a majestic refrain of male and female choruses. Yoshida's masterful weaving of these contrasting elements shows his incredible talent for orchestration, which surfaces frequently throughout the album. As the track proceeds, jarring screams and growls build up in the background until a harrowing guitar solo carries the tune to its appropriate conclusion.

"Molavena" comes out of the starting gate with a heavy nod to the '70s with a burst of keyboard-laden progressive rock. Later segments display funky guitar passages (1:45) and soulful interludes that provide the perfect back drop for some beautifully layered vocals and powerful instrumentation. "Gepek" does more to show the continuing influence of Magma, as its frantic lyrics (sung in an indiscernible, possibly fictitious language) volley back and forth over a bizarre series of bass riffs and percussion phrases. As its intensity begins to fade, "Yagonahh" hits the listener with a manic flute melody that seems to dance over its bass accompaniment like a fairy doing an Irish jig. As the song reaches fever-pitch, one can't help but extend some empathy toward the musicians, who surely collapsed after hitting that final note.

"Ozone Fall" begins with a swirling organ pattern and lumbering guitar riff that (in a nagging sense) sound strangely familiar. The proceedings are subsequently thrown off course with a flurry of vocalizations that include minor-key refrains and commanding barks, to which Yoshida reponds with his trademark syncopations and pistol-shot snare hits. A burst of pseudo sci-fi madness follows in the form of "Zhess", with its rapidly sung lyrics, tense fills, and spacey synth effects, while "Zoltan" provides a rapid down-shift with a funereal organ melody and Canterbury-influenced church choir. "Avedumma" serves up another oddly-placed homage to '70s prog, complete with a Yes-inspired keyboard intro and complex melodies that evoke everything from mid-period Gentle Giant to early Pink Floyd.

Album closer "Sunna Zarioki" kicks off with traces of progressive fanfare (a la Emerson Lake and Palmer, circa 'Trilogy') until the triumphant horns and thunderous drums are pushed to the background by a rapid series of half-sung, half-chanted melodic phrases. As one might come to expect, the song involves an increasing degree of vocal histrionics and orchestrated lunacy until its conclusion in just under five-minutes. It is here that one realizes Koenjihyakkei's place in the grand scheme of obscure artistry: it is one of those exceedingly rare forms of musical expression that provides an extended look through the eyes of a mad genius. Despite his occasional props to the early pioneers, Tatsuya Yoshida's ability to compose music that touches on opposing subgenres--without sounding muddled or confused--is an accomplishment that few can claim. Rather than alienating listeners, his insanity actually serves to challenge and engage those who are willing to reach for the more hidden depths of aesthetic pleasure.

Music Information

Promo

Was this review helpful to you? yes