9.6
/Avant-garde, Guitar ambient, Space rock, Experimentalism, Post-rock, Ambient noise, Epic, Shoegaze, Ambient drone, Drone, Soundscapes, Minimalism/
Comment: the japanese experimentalist Saito Koji`s 8-faceted universe does formally rotate around guitars, though, at times these chords are more treated, at times slightly less. It veers away from knee-deep ambient and essential minimalism to freely strumming shoegaze shades and majestic space rock references. More profoundly, it is built upon slowly changing phases, delusive undulation and barely audible turbulences on the ground which in turn will evoke suggestive shades somewhere in a lush sonic bowery. Hopefully I am not the only one who can perceive how the ground stepwisely does subside underneath the feet now and then. Inspite of being quite laconic in his expression Saito`s touch is thoroughly emotive and cathartic. Less is more, as we used to know very well. But do not call it a sort of chill music, though. If I had my own country I probably would choose a track, Sunset, for instance, to be the anthem of the country. I guess Neil Halstead, and Kevin Shield would be proud of it if it would have been produced by themselves. I recommend to listen to his other issues on Resting Bell and other sites as well.