HURTBREAK WONDERLAND

World's End Girlfriend is one of the more original artists in the post-rock scene. A solo project by Japanese artist Katsuhiko Maeda, he creates a unique blend of post-rock, classical music, and glitch. For those who don't know, glitch is a style of electronic music that relies almost on the fact it sounds like it's about to fall apart or malfunction out of control at any second. It's definitely one of the more original fusions of genres I've heard out there.

Even if you don't like electronic music, I think you'll be able to find something pleasing to you in Hurtbreak Wonderland. There is a wide range of instruments, mostly used are piano, strings, guitars, and the harp; the harp being an instrument I view as underused in the music world, as it can create some very beautiful sounds. The buildup style is pretty typical of the post-rock genre, but is often accentuated by electronic beats. The electronic beats don't really overwhelm anything, so do not fret electronic detractors! Drown yourself in the beauty of the strings all you wish.

So yes, it's a very beautiful album. But there is a question of how much beauty can one take? At 79 and a half minutes, this album is no small task to listen to. And unfortunately, I'm not sure this album holds up entirely for that amount of time. You may find yourself tuning out at times. But that doesn't necessarily mean I recommend it any less. If you find in your post-rock journeys you've heard too much of the same, give this a try. It's a real gem if you have the patience to sit through it.