WATER REINCARNATION

Terrific playing skills, great composition, and fine songs created by YUKA & CHRONOSHIP - where will they go since now?

YUKA & CHRONOSHIP were founded in 2009 as a Japanese Neo-Prog quartet by a female keyboardist / vocalist / composer Yuka FUNAKOSHI, already active as a solo artist for over a decade. Supported with three session musicians - Shun TAGUCHI (bass), Takashi MIYAZAWA (guitar), and Ikko TANAKA (drums, percussion), her gracious ship got launched in the vein of late-70s progressive rock. This three supportive session musicians - they have obviously excellent technique though - are veiled in black clothes and strictly give support to Yuka the keyboard heroine. However we can realize apparently their magnificent sound-earth produced by their strict playing.

The first track has kicked me completely out - Yuka's graceful electric piano solo has cleaned my mind, and suddenly their Chronoship tries to go on a voyage for a new trip, with the engines growling, soon after this gracious moment. Yes absolutely suitable for such a fantastic voyage, Yuka's keyboard solo, full of hope, goes ahead with not only enthusiastic aggressiveness but fragile beauty, over heavy and deep riffs, created by the three powerful gems. Contrary to this mixture of beauty and power, the following track "Pilgrim Ocean" shows vast and quiet ocean, with Takeshi's sharp-edged guitar diamonds and strict rhythm basis by Ikko and Shun. Yuka travels gracefully around upon her clear keyboard boat. Enough atmosphere of cool, cool water and clean ocean we can feel in these two songs.

Upon flat surface of the water, calm and sound fishes can swim without corruption - in the "Archaic Aquarium". We can feel the novel texture in untouchable and addictive bubbling tones and chords. a bit difficult archaism for us, but we cannot help being grabbed into the sound aquarium. Like this, the last "Kiribati" is filled with Oriental flavour - just as if an ethnic dancer kept dancing in altered state of mind. There's a grace as well as mystery, and just the collaboration is their character methinks.

It's a pity for me that their progressive dimension co-exists with another one, named pop essence, easy to understand for everyone. Each song can be splendid, well-composed, without any suspicion. However, I'm afraid that simply an enumeration of good songs may cancel out goodness in every song. Wish this album could be more-structured minutely by all splendid tracks. Their aim or respect, whether for a concept album or for every song's personality, I cannot feel enough via this album.

In conclusion, let me send them my impression "promising" - hope they can do more and more wonderful explosion under the progressive scene. In this sense, we will lose nothing by checking their debut gem.

Yuka & Chronoship are a Japanese quartet led by talented keyboard maestro Yuka Funakoshi. Water Reincarnation is their debut and marks them out as a band with considerable talent. Whilst there's no doubt that Yuka Funakoshi is the star of the show here she's surrounded herself with an equally talented band adding bass, guitar and drums.

Whilst neo prog is the order of the day on the ten compositions, light jazz rock elements are occasionally present, all played with slick professionalism. The music is largely instrumental, highly accessible, melodic and immediate with a dense sound, in large down to the rich keyboards - all high tech stuff, don't be looking for melotrons here. Funakoshi is also responsible for the vocals which in the main are used as embellishments - she rarely sings actual words if you catch my drift. Think a less ethereal Enya. Piano is the lead keyboard, the synths providing a dense backdrop with electric guitar sometimes coming to the fore. It's all very tight and precise, kept in check by the use of programed rhythms alongside the real thing.

My only complaint is that this is all just a little too smooth and slick and a bit more fire with a few rough edges would be welcome. The fiery guitar solo from Takashi Miyazawa that closes final track Kiribali is just too little too late. Nevertheless Water Reincarnation is an enjoyable listen and worth checking out for those who enjoy this kind of thing.

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.

Yuka Funakoshi studied music in Tokyo, then she delivered 3 albums as a singer-songwriter. In 2003 Yuka founded a band in order to join a record with different formations and six years later she presents Yuka & Chronoship. This was also her current band in the same line-up (featuring very experienced musicians) when she released her debut CD entitled Water Reincarnation in 2011. It contains ten tracks (eight instrumental), the running time is over fifty minutes. The first three compositions strongly evoke famous progrock names.

First Dawn In a Dew ' Chronoship in the vein of mid-Genesis (Wind & Wuthering era) with sparkling synthesizers and fluent electric guitar, along a buzzing Rickenbacker bass.

Then Pilgrim Ocean, after beautiful twanging 12-string acoustic guitars, we can enjoy an accellaration in which the guitar and keyboards reminds me of early Mike Oldfield.

And finally the compelling White Squall, Black Squall, the slide guitar sounds like the second coming of David Gilmour, goose bumps.

In the other seven tracks Yuka & Chronoship showcases more an own identity. And what a variety, from propulsive with fiery guitar runs to mellow with wonderful piano work and even swinging fusion delivering strong interplay between the instruments. Also interesting is the exciting final composition Kiribati that starts with handclapping and acoustic guitar and ends with a mighty guitar solo, loaded with biting leads and propulsive drumming.

To me this album sounds as pleasant progrock in which Yuka colours the music verytasteful with her work on the piano, synthesizers and organ.

My rating: 3,5 star.