IMPROG
Daimonji
•Zeuhl
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
![]() Write a review |
Live, released in 2003 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Glimpse (14:29) - Hoppy Kamiyama / keyboards, vocals
CD POSEIDON Records #PRF-014 / Musea #FGBG 4522.AR and to snobb for the last updates Edit this entry |
Buy DAIMONJI IMProg Music
![]() | I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Vivo (Poland) 2007 | $23.93 $34.90 (used) |
More places to buy DAIMONJI music online
- DOUG LARSON IMPORTS — Buy prog rock music and rarities (Free shipping on orders over 10 cds)
- AmazonMP3: Search for DAIMONJI DRM-Free MP3 Downloads @ Amazon.com MP3
- Try Amazon Prime Music (30-day free trial)
DAIMONJI IMProg ratings distribution
(12 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(8%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(58%)
Good, but non-essential (25%)
Collectors/fans only (8%)
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
DAIMONJI IMProg reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

For the most part this is a long way from the manic hardcore Zeuhl of Ruins, although there are similarities with the Syphonica album. There is a strong Zeuhl feel to these pieces, however, and Yoshida gives his Magma fixation free rein. There are some interesting vocal interludes, some more successful than others, and for much of the time (particularly on the first two tracks) the main keyboard is electric piano - at times the sound is extremely close to Wurdah Itah or Live:Hhai. There's also a very jazzy feel to a lot of the music, which occasionally calls Soft Machine circa 3 and 4 to mind. The real surprise is just how melodic and accessible this is, given that all the music was improvised. There are occasional discordant passages, but for the most part it's easy to forget that this all occurred spontaneously. Fans of old school prog keyboards will also enjoy those segments where Hoppy Kamiyama moves away from electric piano to his synths, which he deploys to great effect. There are moments of remarkable interplay here; at times there is a kind of musical game of tag, where two of the musicians will lock into a groove and the third will play across it, the three musicians trading places so that at any given time one will be taking the lead for a couple of bars before trading places with one of the others. Most of the album is tight, upbeat and remarkably easy on the ears.
Newcomers to Japan's remarkable prog scene, in particular the Zeuhl influenced bands, would do well to start here, while established fans of Bondage Fruit, Koenjihyakkei, Happy Family and so on will find plenty to enjoy. Not everything works, because that's the nature of improvised music, but it's rare to hear improvisations as coherent and accessible as this in any context. The musicians are all at the top of their game and turn in remarkable performances. Warmly recommended to any adventurous prog fans.
PROG REVIEWER

Various elements , for example, Ruins-Koenjihyakkei if it thinks about conditions surrounding Japan for the field of Avant-Prog. Or, the flow that requires an experimental sense has derived on the boundary of the 80's. Members of this band are musicians active in the flow.
The music that Tathuya Yoshida had shown in the line of Ruins-koenjihyakkei might have been a flow achieved with the flow that concretely showed a certain kind of theme and the idea. The world that Tathuya Yoshida created after that made the listener listen to the performance showing rapid various shape.
Tune of performance and band that he did of course. Or, it might be difficult to understand thought and the theme enough. However, his world might be originally music offered by the skin by the catching sensibility though his theme is consistent. And, the listener might have also to catch their music with the sensibility.
In the stage, these three people who were the support members of the singer of the woman who was called active "Jun Togawa" in Japan before were often announcing the performance. Tathuya Yoshida of Ruins. And, Mithuru Nasuno of Altered States. And, active Hoppy Kamiyama in the band that is called "Pink" in the 80's. Three performances that had often been doing were indeed high-quality Improvisation. They start operations naming "Improgre" and the name in 2002. And, when this album is announced, the name has been renamed to "Daimonji".
It challenges the mix of Prog Rock and improvisation and this performance and agility of three people have succeeded splendidly. The work of this band might be very high-quality and be well-balanced in work of related of Tathuya Yoshida past. The song of Zeuhl in addition to the impression of the element of Jazz twines well. And, the tension is continued. Especially, the work of the keyboard demonstrates the response. The composition of the tune with the tension of the sound and the Mahavishnu orchestra that looks like EL&P while almost taking the form of Inprovisation offers the listener the flow to which the forecast doesn't adhere. The part where the performance is rough will be canceled by the tension and fast and slow. The band that develops a high-quality performance though it is a performance by live gives an excellent impression. It might be one evidence that three people show one's true ability to its maximum. By the way, they tried the opening act of live of Zao done to the following debuting age in Japan.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Don't be afraid though - differently from usual free form endless jams of improvised albums, ImProg is greatly structurised album, with many changes, emotions, different elements. In fact, at the end of the day you will hardly believe that album is fully improv!
Musically mostly based on progressive jazz fusion, but with huge influence from Magma, this album contains excellent combination of complex, dark, psyche but at the same time easy accessible music. Add operatic vocals, jazzy keyboards passages and Soft Machine-like pieces included.
Really, one of the greatest Japanese prog release from the beginning of new Millennium. Excellent entrance to this country's progressive music.
My rating - 4+!
PROG REVIEWER

"Glimpse" opens in an experimental, spacey yet chaotic manner.The drums, bass and piano eventually take the lead. Some crazy vocal outbursts after 5 minutes that come and go. Harsh synths after 8 minutes and some spacey synths 11 minutes in.Vocals are back after 11 1/2 minutes. "Mongo Lian Bandits" opens with synth sounds, Vander-like vocal melodies that are high pitched and experimental sounds. It settles down then the tempo starts to pick up with vocal expressions and sparse piano 3 1/2 minutes in. Dual vocals 4 1//2 minutes in. Piano 5 minutes leads then the bass and drums join in. A calm 9 minutes in then it picks back up and becomes intense. Synths are prominant before 14 1/2 minutes then these crazy vocals come in a minute later. The drums rumble 17 minutes in as the piano plays over top. Vocals are back around 19 1/2 minutes.
"Night Dust / Monosyllable Sex)" opens with what sounds like guitar then vocals after a minute. Loud synth sounds before 4 minutes. A good rhythm 6 1/2 minutes in and more synths join in. It settles 8 1/2 minutes in then picks back up. It settles again before 12 minutes then kicks back in to an intense sound 14 minutes in.Insane vocals before 15 1/2 minutes. Check out the singing before 18 minutes.It ends with applause. "Ombre Moned" opens with synths as vocal expressions join in. Sparse piano comes and goes. It starts to build 4 minutes in. This is good.Drums and keys lead the way in this intense section. It settles 7 1/2 minutes in as we get some bowed bass. It kicks back in quickly as drum start to beat wildly with prominant bass and crazy synth sounds. A calm before 10 minutes then it picks back up 11 1/2 minutes as contrasts continue.There's those high pitched Vander-like vocals 19 minutes in again.
It feels good to finally own this album.Timing is everything. A solid 4 stars for these Zeuhl improvs.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Crossover Prog Team

Originally appeared in Feedback #78, April 2004
Latest members reviews
A totally new name to me, but one I will keep an eye on in the future. The same can be said about
the musicians here.
This is a side project of Ruins and other Japanese bands. This is also a live album and it seems
like the band is mostly a live band. No reason to waste valuable time in the st
... (read more)
Report this review (#479985) | Posted by toroddfuglesteg | Sunday, July 10, 2011 | Review Permanlink
Post a review of DAIMONJI "IMProg"
You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.
MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE
As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.
You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).