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| Long-time Splendid readers and obsessive types will recall that Minekawa's Roomic Cube made this author's top ten list for 1997 -- so naturally, Cloudy Cloud Calculator arrived with high expectations. And the immediate response? The disc meets expectations, but it's a different animal from Takako's past work. Opening instrumental "Micro Mini Cool" sounds like video game music -- which isn't entirely surprising from a woman who's the "voice" of the Sony Playstation (that's her saying "Playstation" at the end of the commercials), while "Milk Rock" is a bewildering combination of bubblegum pop, choir chorus and Aphex Twin-style drum&bass-paced rhythm. Fans of vintage analog keyboards and new-wave melodies will enjoy the catchy "Cat House", the vocorder-enhanced referentialism of "Kraftpark" and the creepy calculations that form the lyrics of "Kangaroo Pocket Calculator". Bubblegum fans and children will be absolutely entranced by "Phonobaloon Song", and will drift happily away on the gentle wings of "Black Forest", which begins as a mellow keyboard track and ends with a far more fleshed-out orchestral sound, mournful strings and all. And there's still the gentle drone of "Cloud Cuckoo Land" and the pseudo-lounge -- theremin and all -- of "Telstar" to complete the listening experience. Fans expecting an assortment of happy pop and techno-frippery might be disappointed by Cloudy Cloud Calculator, but the current Japanese Invasion should provide them with plenty of other listening options. Those seeking more subtle pleasures will be well served. |
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