WATER REINCARNATION

Japanese project from Tokyo, started in 2009 by female keyboardist and singer Yuka Funakoshi, who has been around since late-90's, producing a few solo albums.Her chronoship includes three more musicians, the more experienced of who seems to be bassist/composer Shun Taguchi, formerly with Sense of Wonder.The core was completed with guitarist Takashi Miyazawa and drummer Ikko Tanaka.The quartet debuted in 2009 with the album ''Water reincarnation'', released on Musea Records.

As expected, the music is very keyboard-oriented with different influences, ranging from Classical Music and Neo/Symphonic Rock to powerful Fusion.The album is mostly instrumental with alternating pompous and more sensitive arrangements and passages, based on the changing use of acoustic and electric guitars and, of course, the heavy presence of Funakoshi's keyboards.Lots of her ideas are based on double keyboard workouts with emphatic textures in a modern Symphonic Rock mood, while the music can get very atmospheric at moments, led by the dreamy English vocals of Yuka and the dominant piano lines.A few tracks have a dicreet Fusion flavor with more virtuosic delivery, akin to BILL BRUFORD's or DEREK SHERINIAN's albums, but even these contain some careful melodious themes, while a light Canterbury touch can be detected here and there.Overall Yuka and her crew focused on producing demanding and adventurous musicianship, without ever losing a balanced sense of melody.

Keyboard lovers will simply fall in love with ''Water reincarnation''.A nice, little pearl with well-structured pieces filled with both warm and intricate moments.Recommended.