BONDAGE FRUIT V - SKIN

The Zheul style continues to be a breeding ground for excellent organized sound in the new millennium, and the dark, atmospheric "Skin" album is a solid proof of that. Bondage Fruit's 5th album contains only two tracks, and it's the first one in which there is no vocal input. This bizarre Japanese quintet decided for this 2002 event that they might as well incorporate the somber, minimalist density of post-rock into their usual Zheul-meets-RIO sound. The namesake opener lasts almost half an hour, during which the band creates a dreamy amalgam of languid introspective flows and mysterious dissonant slow tides: something like a marriage of Sigur Ros at their most epic and Univers Zero at their most constrained. The desperately slow pace which the drum kit uses to set the pace serves as an architectonic ground for the diverse snippets of guitar, violin, ultra-fuzzed bass and ultra-echoed vibes that go appearing like clouds of half-silent anguish heavily crossing a sky of uncertainty. The final result is really sullen, but not devoid of energy. It's like the soundtrack of a mind's perpetual journey into its own hidden corners, having nothing left but lugubrious thoughts to hold on to during its state of isolation. The last 7 minutes are occupied by a sinister climax that may remind the listener of the most oppressive side of Univers Zero's "Uzed". 'Skin' is a masterful demonstration of how stark darkness can become majestic through the magic of music, but 'Frasco' is my favorite track of the two. Lasting 20- minutes, 'Frasco' displays a more varied set of musical colors in the fore. The long intro consists of a succession of violin, guitar and assorted percussion aleatory touches flowing on a frame built by valiha and vibes. It all remains for a while as some sort of avant-garde landscape that bears a strong oriental feel. When the eighth minute is about to start, a guitar riff emerges from the magma (pun intended) in order to activate the elegant explosion that is to take place for the rest of the piece. Bondage Fruit lets go of its inherent energy and sense of color to create a most exciting jam that is pretty much inspired in the "Udu- Wudu"-era Magma and 80s-era Present. Psychedelia, dissonant jazz-rock and academic avant-garde are the ingredients in this massive demonstration of pulsations and constant climaxes. Although the violin and the electric guitar are the obvious leading stars in the instrumentation, the fact is that drummer Okabe Youichi shines with a light of his own all throughout this jamming. The rolls and other sundry percussive adornments that he so energetically displays while beating the drums allow him to expand his role in the rhythm department, being able of influencing on the overall dynamics. This is, in fact, Zheul in a more accessible vein, as opposed to their compatriots of Ruins. Those who intend to explore this prog genre from a neophyte's position, might as well get started with "Skin" and see what happens. Those who are already familiar with Zheul and RIO and really enjoy, will also enjoy this one, although they'll need to pay close attention to the subtleties in order to find the real genius of the material. A very recommended item for the most adventurous prog-head.