Customer Reviews

The Boy And The Tree

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Traditional oriental and middle eastern instruments and sounds are treated with modern loop-based technology with beautiful and haunting results The Boy and The Tree. Susumu Yokota's musical approach seems to lie somewhere between Phillip Glass and DJ Shadow. Cinematic spookiness starts the CD off in "The Colour of Pomegranates". Gamelan sounds induce a meditative mood in "Live Echo" and "Plateau on Plateau". I found the song "Fairy Link" to unexpectedly be reminiscent of some of Orbital's early work (Halcyon and On in particular). Sounds of the far east met the spaghetti-western ambient guitar of Labradford in "Grass, Tree, and Stone". I felt like I was walking through an oriental garden in "Secret Garden" and "Rose Necklace" and watching the sun rise somewhere in the Middle East in "Beans". The remainder of this wonderful CD maintained a meditative mood with just enough quiet rhythms to keep this 21st century guy awake and nodding appreciatively through to the last tones of the Phillip Glass-inspired "Blood and Snow". All in all this is a very fresh and innovative CD worthy of immediate purchase. Enjoy your walk in Susumu's gardens!

This album is your gateway to explore the macabre, haunting, ecstatic and exotic in the faroff dreamlike atmosphere his music evokes. Trenching through vast fields, glistening Asian rainforests, ice-caves, ancient sacred temples, and perhaps even soaring over the misty mountain ranges. Bizarre, dangerous and overwhelming encounters with the supernatural and the raw, flesh and bones. A very colourful, emotional and provocative tale to say the least. You're drawn into a whole new world the moment you press play and eventually have no choice but to let your mind succumb to the exciting and seductive sounds and flow. The only flaw in this album is that all the tracks could potentially continue for at least some 4 - 5 minutes longer and not end so abruptly. Susumu Yokota is a creative mastermind with a unique, unconventional and innovative style. It's rather unfortunate that you're awoken from such a blissful trance with such a sharp ending. There's hundreds of various twists and turns which could continue from where the tracks stop and start. Although, this is an interesting and quite beautiful album - it's definitely worth the listen... and the listen soon becomes a meditative experience.

Sakura, Grinning Cat, Distant Sounds of Summer, Wonder Waltz, they all contain out-of-this-world music, but they're also marred by uninspired, repetitive fillers and, most annoying, stupid drum machine breaks.
This album, The Boy and the Tree, is sheer perfection. A flawless, 55 minute amalgam of lovely little tunes and even lovelier pieces of, well, sound. Ideal for dreaming away by (with no drum machines to shock you out of your slumber), but it also lives up to a concentrated listen. A not-to-be-missed disc for lovers of Eno, Hans Joachim Roedelius, and Tim Story.

On the side from producing delectable, stylish House Music, Susumu Yokota spends a lot of time working on his more impressionistic, ambient and highly acclaimed sound. "Boy and Tree" is definately part of the latter. Compared to the others in this series, it is the most cohesive of the all, maintaining a general theme throughout. The focus is on natural sounds and organic sound production, giving the impression of a lush forest full of life. From the hazy, dreamy opening of "The Colour of Pomegranates" to the druggy "Blood and Snow" finish, plucked string instruments, and light hand percussion coming to the fore of the sonic palette creating a contemplative and delicate mood.
Some other highlights include the deceptively simple "Thread Leads to Heaven," which starts with a whimsicle melody, but transforms into something ethereal by the end of the song. "Red Swan" which sounds like a busy bazaar, teeming with cooing birds.
If you are looking for music to accompany your trip to that hidden sactuary in the heart of the woods, this is the album.

Nobody thought he could top 'Sakura' and I don't think he has with this. But he has at least equalled it in terms of quality and listening pleasure.

Again he proceeds to combine beautiful, sweet ambient sounds to just immerse you totally in his sound. It's like voices and sounds that you recall from your past, like looking back hazily through time. I don't know how he manages to do it, but there is something magical about the music he makes.

From what other have said to me about Susumu Yokota's music, it seems to transcend all boundaries, his music can mean many things to many different people.

For all those who like electronica, then this has to be an album you must consider buying. Again the cover design is just delightful.

This very atmospheric album has alot of bells, and ambient noise usually associated with some of Japan's spirtual side, ie Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Susumu Yokota blends it effortlessly with electronic noise, giving it a very organic sound, recalling parts of Eno's Ambient series, but taking it further with the spirtualist slant. Totally great.

The Boy and Tree release is a spellbinding journey to another time where mystery and wonder are the focal points. The use of interesting and unidentifiable sounds make this a contempoary classic alongside Yokota's Sakuru release. A must have for anyone interested in the experimental sounds of the east.