It's been over five years since Cornelius (a.k.a. Keigo Oyamada) released his last album, and nearly a decade since he burst onto the scene with his American debut release, Fantasma -- a dense, layered masterpiece that showcased Cornelius's skill at melody, harmony, and sound sculpture, and his considerable ease with both computers and guitars. It was so jam-packed with sound, one review claimed Cornelius must have used a million-track mixing desk to make it.
On his latest release, Sensuous, Cornelius's meticulous attention to every last detail is intact, and this album is as technically dazzling as his earlier work, if not more-so. But rather than bringing us along on frenetic roller coaster rides, this time he strings us along at a calmer pace. Tracks build slowly, in contrast to the manic onslaughts of Fantasma.
There's a lot more space between the elements that comprise thisalbum, and each sound stands on its own; it's better on headphones. Still, fans of thefast-paced, hectic Cornelius of the past will still find a few passageswith which to freak out their more docile-eared friends or living companions.
(His previous albums have been banned from Listening Post'sNew York office during the even hours for reasons of excessive hectocity.)
In keeping with Sensuous's more languid mood, the album endswith a beautiful vocoder cover version of a lullaby called "Sleep Warm" bythe Rat Pack that fades gently into vinyl-crackled chimes -- the perfect nightcap for this "advanced" album from an artist who continues to justify the hype that has surrounded him from the beginning. Highly recommended. (Samples on CDBaby.)
I chatted with Keigo Oyamada outside the Purple Onion
in San Francisco one time through a translater, and it seemed like hewas really enjoying his first U.S. tour (de force, as you knowif you've seen what this man can do with a stage). We should beposting some video footage of his latest live show soon, either fromthe label's footage of the L.A. show or whatever I manage to shooton Thursday night at NY's Webster Hall, so check backif you're interested.
