Tabata Mitsuru
Mankind Spree
[Fourth Dimension]
To reduce Tabata Mitsuru’s latest oeuvre to a freak-out session would be strife in misunderstanding. “Mankind Spree” is not just head-tripping music in as much as it is an exercise in exuding subtleties of Mitsuru’s musical universe. Former Acid Mothers Temple and Zeni Geva guitarist surprises the audience with an album that is ripe with melodies and psychedelic arrangements. Listen to the way Tatsuhisa Yamamoto spews out thick layers of power chimes and cymbals on the utterly haunting “I Miss You”. As Mitsuru joins the fold of melodic guitar lines, one realizes there’s a real connection being fostered among the players. “Soup” features a nearly symphonic, over-dubbed guitar fest that rambles on and on, while “Extraterrestrial Blues” proves to be a breeding ground of experimental goodness for the band. At this point, Mitsuru is joined by Yoshiyuki Ichiraku on rute drumsticks [subtle sounds colouring the landscape] and once again by Tatsuhisa Yamamoto on power chimes and cymbals – both instruments add a fair counter-balance to the leader’s guitar-laced freak-out. The album ends on a high note with the ten minute long “Mutation on the Moon”. Here, the leader stews a warm soup of organs, synths and usual bluesy guitar permutations, while Tomo plays a mean, seductive and very persistent hurdy gurdy theme. The piece moves along slowly, nearly dragging in sections, which is fine, as some of Mitsuru’s better pieces develop in a slow and deliberate manner. Ending with a whimper instead of a bang proves to be the right choice for someone who likes to keep well under the radar. Here’s hoping “Mankind Spree” will be a new chapter for those who’ve not had contact with Mitsuru’s brand of whacked-out psychedelia.
- Tom Sekowski
