ROVO

This means, a repetitive motif is given in general where the crew carefully varies over the course. Violinist Yuji Katsui actually seems to be the only member with significant solo ambitions here. They overall provide an enormous groove and pace, based on joy of playing I believe. Wow - due to this dynamic performance it must have left them sweat-soaked afterwards, no question. Just to pick up Eclipse which is a fantastic dancable affair which reminds me on Hidria Spacefolk a bit. RMD offers a spacey groove close to Oresund Space Collective or Ozric Tentacles but also infiltrated with Mahavishnu Orchestra sentiment.

The main motif on Sino + seems to recur from the epic track 'Sinno', which originally appears on their live 'Tonic 2001' album. I would say Katsui's violin is THE remarkable placement this time. Heads up ... 'Ravo' comes as another gripping affair, if you like to listen to a versatile blend of composition and jamming. This even comes close to krautrock here and there. Recommended!

"Sukhna" is an amazing track that starts out with violin and drums as they seem to jam while guitar and other sounds help out. The tempo picks up before 6 minutes with the bass standing out. "Guiding" opens with atmosphere then drums, violin and other sounds start to come and go. We start to get a steady beat halfway through as the violin rips it up. The guitar comes in before 10 1/2 minutes as things get intense. Incredible ! "NA-X?" opens with the drums pounding away then the violin comes in slicing and dicing. Killer sound 8 minutes in. I could listen to this all day. "Horsess" has these ethnic sounds with drums.They really groove on this one and I love the drumming and bass.Violin 5 1/2 minutes in.

"Vitamine" opens with synths then it kicks in before a minute with drums and bass. Nice. Synths continue then the violin joins in. "Cisko" opens with atmosphere and violin. A change after 2 minutes as the drums kick in. Nice.The tempo picks up 7 minutes in and the violin lights it up. They are kicking ass and taking names before 10 minutes. "Sinno" is a 34 1/2 minute monster jam. It sounds like a keyboard melody that is repeated over and over then it turns spacey around 4 1/2 minutes. Drums join in as spacey sounds continue. Violin arrives then the beat stops after 10 minutes as it becomes spacey. Drums are back after 14 1/2 minutes and it's starting to pick up 17 minutes in. Pretty much violin only 24 minutes in then the drums return again as they continue. "Sunspot" is mellow with intricate sounds to start. Violin around 4 minutes. It kicks in around 8 minutes.The guitar arrives late when it settles back.

This two disc set is a little long for my tastes but I do really enjoy the style of music here. A solid 4 stars.

No mistakes - real space prog, but what a great one! Sound is liquid and very jazzy, especially fusion drumming. Spacey soundscapes are very airy, sometimes psychedelic, and differently from some more "rock-based" colleagues, band's long compositions doesn't sound too repetitive or mechanic.

Could be compared with very jazzy version of some early Hawkwind's works, or Ozric Tentacles with soft and liquid sound. Really nice album for space prog lovers ,searching for different (jazzy) sound!

'They can try to make and play more illusory and spacey rock.' This is exactly the most important goal in ROVO's history. (Ah...sadly in Japan some reviewers say ROVO is a dance music band...it's a pity for me.) We can find indeed the song or album titles should be under comprehension but they may be some of 'SPACEY WORDS' defined by ROVO. On the previous work they could let a CONDOR fly higher in the sky and could get the way of communication with the outer world. They could make a footprint on the road named space rock scene. And on the current one they can really lay a cornerstone I think.

Chopping guitar sounds can open the window of NUOU. From the first track KOO Seiichi's guitar and Yuji's violin can battle together with eccentric synthesizer, heavy bass and dynamic double drum sounds. I have never used the phrase "noises violino" yet...now just here this is much suitable I feel. I think his violin sounds should be different from David Cross' knife-edged ones. As someone may say, we can feel the sounds taking listeners away from THIS world. (On the contrary David's ones let us feel this serious world I always feel.) In the next track OUO, like this song title(O-U-O), some simple and repetitive guitar plus drum sounds can hold our brain strictly. Even here Yuji's violin solo is very graceful and relaxed. Regretfully the percussive sounds on the background hear to be a little persistent. Well, this persistence may be called as 'spacey'...maybe yes...and it's also true these should be lacking in big waves. From listening to this track I can feel only a listener popping away, rather than the contact with outside. Wonder MELODIA means the sound of violin or the whole one...? However we listen to the song, the violin solo should be more striking than another stuff. Yuji's violin can have so various faces that we may feel so... Of course, the rhythm section can be so strict and steady I must say. Understand this, please. Next AGORA has anomalous rhythms and big waves as above mentioned...especially many kinds of percussions and multi-facial chandeliers. It's sad at this time we may be slightly tired with the length of the TRIP. CADO can let us sleep well...in spite of the rampant and violent sounds...

Sorry but I can't meet the attract like the previous work CONDOR.
The milestone of realizing the contact with the outer space is one of important points of this album.

How will be their next work?

The opener Sukhna for example holds a hypnotic bass and violin appearance which is intensifying a trancy feeling. And they are also integrating furious impressions, speed changes coupled with fiery escalating moments. I don't know what could be more suspense-packed as the jam Guiding Star - a great example for their instrumental interaction. As for the jazzy moments I'm sometimes remembered at Stomu Yamashta. Horses shouldn't be missed - another great example of combining psych, fusion and trance.

The musicians are really acting like a collective by the way - which means nobody is ever distinctly pushed into the foreground. The songs are mostly lacking of solos - okay - if you don't count some Jean-Luc Ponty references when listening to Vitamine. Second disc now starts with spacey ambient soundscapes supported by a melancholic violin until the band grooves once more. Cisko is presented in a clear psych/space environment with distorted wah-wah modulated guitars and twittering synths (which you will find all over by the way) evolving to an ecstatic heavy rocking piece in the vein of Hawkwind.

Now I won't forget to mention the lengthy Sinno, originally composed by guitarist Seiichi Yamamoto for a split CD with Date Course Pentagon Royal Garden. Nearly 35 minutes long, showing a long electronical intro, then slipping into something like a trip hop/nu jazz behaviour and later gliding into the orbit with a spacey flow ... open-end! This eclectic suite is really something special. A tough call ... have to listen once more.

It is said that Bill Laswell is responsible for two special mix translations. Not that I'm surprised that he's aboard because the ROVO sound holds a special trippiness undoubtly - but couldn't find any information which songs are exactly involved here. I shouldn't wonder if any. 'Tonic 2001' is an entertaining album (maybe one or two will exclude the monster track 'Sinno') - recommended to prog music listeners who are searching for new horizons. Don't miss them!

How huge, how elegant, and of course how spacey ROVO's concept is! This 7th album 'Condor' is exactly a conceptual one. The story is about a condor flying and flapping for the sky and the space, with three parts all can go on a large scale and take us listeners strictly and tightly.

The first part - AIRES - is opened with quiet and straight violin solo and slightly funky percussion. With listening to the part, I always feel a condor waking up from a deep sleep and slowly spreading his wings. Not only Yuji's violin solo, but heavy bass sound as an earthquake and light and sticky percussion and drums are all remarkably individual and of course important. Some phrases are repeated over and over, and the sound gets louder, huger, and more fantastic...his wings are spread widely and he can prepare a flight.

For me, the second part - n'POPO - seems as he is shaking his large body and clomping down rough ground. There, especially plenty of percussions by Yasuhiro and Yoichi can make the part perfectly. And my surprising and amazing thing is that Yuji's violin and Tatsuki's keyboard be very percussive too. All instruments can hop, jump, beat and roll around. Very impressive.

I wanna say the highlight is the third part - LAND -. He can fly quietly from the LAND and look down on the LAND around over. The sound gets faster and more massive as if he can fly higher and higher... All talented and skilled players can product this atmosphere and LANDscape exactly. And the condor should fly away to the outer space...all are over suddenly with a squeaky explosion.

YOU AND I CAN BE A CONDOR AND FLY FARAWAY TOGETHER! Highly recommended.