The title of The Rainstick Orchestra’s debut release
for NinjaTune sounds as if it might be the title or
central element of a Haruki Murakami novel. The music
also bears a similarly playful, light touch beneath
which lurks a potential, unknown darkness. Waltz
For A Little Bird is a rather gorgeous piece that
might ably serve as soundtrack to a 60s French film
sequence, a light rain falling as two lovers walk beside
the river Seine. The music mixes shuffling, brushed
percussion with marimba like rhythms. Difficult to resist
the urge to skip and smile to such music. Kieletu
begins with darting flute-like sounds that are overtaken
by an assertive ceremonial pulse. Powderly flaps and
flutters like a dove that has strayed mistakenly into
a living room and is trying to escape. It is paired
with a sonorous violin and a woman’s voice that
repeatedly asks ‘do you... do you... do you hear
it?’.
The Floating Glass Key In The Sky stirs together
a variety of influences into an enjoyably refreshing
cocktail. Steve Reich’s minimalism is never far
away and there are also occasional traces of David Sylvian
and Ryuchi Sakamoto’s Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence
(the Yellow Magic Orchestra connection is apposite as
one half of the duo previously played in a YMO covers
band). There’s Orb-like techno delivered with
a deft, light-fingered touch as if played by a highly
proficient lounge orchestra, and there’s even
just a dash of 70s jazz funk of the Donald Byrd/Places
And Spaces era. Each of the seven tracks is an elegant
construction reminiscent of a perfectly folded origami
sculpture. The result is charming, melodic and pleasingly
original.
Colin Buttimer
3.5/5
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