ZYPRESSEN

ZYPRESSEN were a Chamber Rock band out of Japan releasing this sole album back in 1996. While this sub-genre isn't exactly one of my favourites this album has won me over. A five piece band including drums, guitar, bass, strings(violin, cello & viola), miramba, xylophone, glockenspeil, piano and wind synths. We get three guests adding flute, bass clarinet and violin.

Up first is "Point Of Compass" where we hear those wind synths as the piano joins in. There's a fuller sound before 1 1/2 minutes and I'm thinking UNIVERS ZERO right here. The strings take over around 2 minutes as we get bass, drums, guitar and more all eventually joining in. The piano once again brings UNIVERS ZERO to mind. Man this is good. Themes are repeated. A top three track for me. "STR(Against The Wind)" features plenty of strings and the melody is quite catchy. Xylophone and percussion arrive quickly but the strings dominate the sound. It all stops before 2 minutes as we get some relaxed piano and those wind synths. Strings replace the piano a minute later. Xylophone is back late.

"Tangents(New Version)" opens with lots of strings and xylophone and there are multi-strings as usual. Great sound after a minute but it's brief. Keys only after 2 minutes. I like the dissonant violin before 3 minutes as it turns avant then back to that catchy main melody. "Etude" has percussion and bass early on including what sounds like some inventive guitar expressions that will come and go. Great sound before 2 minutes then that guitar driven theme is back. There's that piano again that recalls PRESENT and UZ. Piano only after 3 minutes and it's dark as it starts to build. A top three tune.

"Hana" opens with violin and cello and this will continue for some time. It settles down around 2 minutes then spoken words join in before 3 minutes. Some percussion here as well. It kicks back in before 4 minutes. Wind synths as it settles back then that main melody is back but instead of being played with strings it's piano then flute and horns. "Prelude(Remix Version)" opens with cello and I really like when the guitar comes in. The tempo picks up and it turns fuller. A calm after 2 minutes with what sounds like marimba and it becomes experimental sounding too as this plays out. UNIVERS ZERO comes to mind before 5 minutes and the strings are eerie here.

"Suna No Shita Toi Mukashi No E" opens with piano only then the strings join in after a minute. Flute comes in as well. This is fairly mournful sounding. My final top three is "Kosa Shoda" the closing song. It opens with piano before the cymbals join in followed by an explosion. Again UZ comes to mind when the sound becomes more powerful as the piano pulsates. Some welcomed guitar and chunky bass. Strings a minute in as themes are repeated. Dissonant cello I believe before 3 1/2 minutes and guitar expressions then back to the main theme. Discordant piano before 4 1/2 minutes and the strings are the same in this experimental passage. Flute after 5 minutes as it settles. I like this. It kicks in again with slicing violin this time before 6 minutes. Suspense is the word. Great track!

An easy 4 stars, and I think this is my first Japanese Chamber-Rock album. It's a good one!