Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

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

Reviews

Ars Nova — Lacrimaria
(Made in Japan MJC-1023, 2001, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2001-12-01

Lacrimaria Cover art

ArsNova’s latest is a mixture of new and previously (but irregularly) released material, produced in a limited edition of 300 copies. Opening with the title track, a short but beautiful choral adaptation of Burgmuller’s “Ave Maria,” the trio quickly gets down to business. A new version of “Fata Morgana” re-recorded by the current lineup of Keiko Kumagai (keyboards), Mika (keyboards), and Akiko Takahashi (drums) is next up, breathing new life (and some vocals, though not many) into this ten-minute keyboard workout. “Isis”, a track that was previously only available on the Musea version of The Goddess of Darkness, follows the band’s more dark and gothic tendencies, a hard driving keyboard trio workout vaguely reminiscent of some of the Italian bands of the 70’s. “Mother” is next, heretofore available only on the Japanese version of their last disc Android Domina, followed by “Ainsel” from the Black Widow tribute E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore... one of their more eccentric pieces, certainly befitting the twisted imagery of a horror movie. Closing the disc is another new track, “Pairi-daeza,” another ten-minute whopper that goes through a number of movements and tends to the more positive and light (as opposed to dark) for at least part of that journey; an excellent composition that’s worth the price of the disc alone.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 23, 2001 releases

Related artist(s): Ars Nova, Akiko Takahashi (Cosmo Space)

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.