‘Water that Comes and Goes (Album)’ by sofabed
Today, we're traveling to Japan, not musically, but geographically, to new territory. sofabed is the name of the formation, inspiring above all with jazz elements that meet avant-garde electro performance, among other things. ‘Water that Comes and Goes’ is the title of the duo from Tokyo's recently released LP.
The opening track, ‘
Riverside,’ proves to be a fitting opener; slightly cinematic jazz with rocky sprinkles contrasts with the experimental ‘
We Go into Haze’ that follows, which also has cinematic roots but is far more avant-garde. Next is ‘
Door,’ my first personal highlight of the album, slightly poppy, with a sad, melancholy bloom on the river.
‘Beach’ features melancholic indie rock with strings in the arrangement, with a slight power-pop flavor. Another highlight is ‘Poet in the Rain,’ where Japanese poet Yasuhiro Yotsumoto reads his own poems, gaining even more depth thanks to sofabed's background music. ‘Eternity’ is somewhat reminiscent of grunge, which has found its home in the avant-garde but then takes a completely different direction. Attention, highlight alert: ‘Song of a Dog,’ pompously eccentric in its effect, will delight many music lovers.
Then comes my insider tip and favorite, ‘Time that Goes and Comes,’ which slightly reminds me of James Bond themes, at least at the beginning, before it becomes passionate, but always with an alternative wink. The vocals, drums, and background arrangement all impress me here.
Finally, the farewell arrives with ‘Shirakawa,’ a great piece to conclude an album that has an extraordinary amount to offer and doesn't reveal all its treasures on the first listen. sofabed, the duo from Tokyo, showcases its artistic range, which will please both jazz and art-pop fans.
NenesButler - Indie Music Blog
