Susumu Yokota ‎
Sakura

★★½

I'm very tired as I start this, and I'll probably finish it tomorrow. So what I've drawn from this is pretty much that it's diverse and also sort of ahead of the curve. In a way that isn't really all that great now. That's because it gives me that feeling of what a lot of unknown Bandcamp artists give me. That of false nostalgia and creativity run short, lacking in the ambition to make what could've been a great project. 

Even after saying all that, this is a decent album that I'm sure many people would be more fond of than me. The majority of it is these sort of ambient pieces that don't really transport you or go anywhere, making them the weakest in this set. Then by the time you reach "Genshi", you're greeted with this sort of almost Kraftwerk Autobahn beat that changes the pace. 

That pace is contained within the bounds of downtempo, and it's pretty consistent and pleasant actually. The best theme that is explored on this whole album is Yokota's use of vocal samples all around. The peak of that being "Kodomotachi". Unfortunately that whole feeling is ruined by the next song, "Naminote". Which actually I think is the worst song on this whole album. A cheap Peanuts theme sample that is almost painful to hear; a twelve year old on FL could've created the same thing in no time. 

Yes I understand that this was made almost two decades before I listened to it, but I guess it's one of those things you can't get out of your mind while hearing it. A mostly relaxing and peaceful album that requires very little brain power, interesting to see the inspiration for those many Soundcloud and Bandcamp creators. 

Favorite Song: Kodomatachi

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