 
The Giant Squid
2003
CD
Solstice
Stewart Gott
3 February 2004 experimental | A collection of fourteen short pieces from Koji Asano, with only the title track clocking in at more than ten minutes. Dating from 1997-1998, these tracks anticipate albums such as "Monsoon" and "Sunshine Filtering Through Foliage", snatches of both of which can be found here: two crisp, poignant versions of 'Another Monsoon' and the agonising 'Morning Limits'. Meanwhile 'The Giant Squid' itself rumbles along in the same vein as "Vacant Land", punctuated by unexpected clanks and bumps, and the three 'Spring Excursion' tracks sound like nature gone beserk, a frothy mess of budding and breeding, seething from your speakers and dripping down the wall towards you, too green to be true. There are some more exquisite, off-kilter, piano pieces: 'Saturday Hospital', 'Natural Cream' and two unnerving brushes with electronic skree: the 'Pudding Delivery Service 1 & 2'. Here, as elsewhere, Koji Asano is a composer who consistently challenges, and constantly surprises, the listener. This is the first such compilation of shorter works, with another collection forthcoming in 2004. |
