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Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Arepos — A Blue Flask
(AREP-1010, 1999, CD)

by Jerome Schmidt, Published 2000-05-01

A Blue Flask Cover art

Arepos is one of the most well-known avant-pop bands of the 90s and is recognizable because of its intelligent melodies, its jazz rhythms, its rather minimalist piano work and, mostly, for its sweet and crystal-like vocals. Reichi (ex Haniwa All Stars and Unita Minima) assumes these vocal parts, while Shimizu Kazuto (Killing Time, Chakra, etc..) plays keys. On their second album, the duo is reinforced by Watanabe Hitoshi, a polymorph bass-player who is one of the greatest musicians of the independent scene. Arepos develops with an infinite grace some ephemeral and shimmering ambiences, with melodies most of the time close to jazz because of the bass / piano rhythm section. On A Blue Flask, their new album, they take all these old ingredients to cook a very nice new meal. There is still this charming Japanese style floating in every piano note, also this cute aestheticism which creates ethereal atmospheres. If you like Japanese cool RIO, this band is the right choice, at the crossroads between Adi or After Dinner.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 19, 1999 releases

Related artist(s): Arepos, Kazuto Shimizu

 

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