TAIGA

Once again, OOIOO doesn't fail to surprise. I think I've referred to their music as "organic", and it couldn't be more true with "Taiga". If "Kila Kila Kila" got off much too slow for you, the opening track here more than makes up for it. Beginning with fast, tribal drum playing, "UMA" starts things off at breakneck speed. Soon, call-and-response chanting begins, almost like at a high school pep rally. This is really where most of the album's foundation lies- tribal-like drum beats. It's that which gives "Taiga" the organic feel I mentioned earlier. Just like in other OOIOO albums, the guitar loops and electronic blips and bleeps abound, but it's all held together by that one cohesive unit that gives this album its unique character.

Things slow down a bit in "KMS", featuring a sliding bass line and a great trumpet workout by Yoshimi. "UJA" brings more electronics into the mix and looping guitars, giving it an almost danceable groove towards the end. A personal favorite of mine is "GRS" has a beautiful vocal performance over an ever present accordion line and some steel drums in the latter portion of the song. Overall, it's very calm and refreshing. The album's upbeat nature is restored with "ATS" with the inclusion of more world percussion and the return of the chanting vocals along side various screams. The album's epic track, the 15-minute "SAI" takes the listener on a tangled path of dual guitar lines and more percussion workouts before sliding into an droning, atmospheric part, propelled by more drums and keyboard and vocal parts that make me feel like I'm in the middle of a jungle or on wild open plains. "UMO" is strongly reminiscent but a different expression of the opening track "UMA". The album closes with "IOA", probably the best song on the album. It feels like all of the ideas found previously are mashed up together, strained of the fluff, and arranged into a brilliant album closer.

I feel very strongly that OOIOO has something brilliant going on here and every time I listen to "Taiga" I think I'm closer to understanding it, and then I realize I'm not. Whatever it is, this is an perfectly executed album (if there ever was such a thing) considering the music being played. I find new things going on in this album each time I give it a spin. Who knows, maybe it will become one of my favorite albums.

Standout songs: "GRS", "IOA

"Yoshimi Battles the Human Condition" Taiga Album Review, by Gaynor E. Ritchewright III Rating: 10 out of 10 or 5 Stars

Neolithic Earth; that is, prehistory of humankind, conjures up vivid, albeit generally exaggerated images of smeared body paint, unbridled bonfires, pagan sacrifices, gorilla warfare and dizzying, erotic and often-times drug-induced dance of direct nature. But despite these retroactive misgivings, tribal rites and rituals are some of the most oft-romanticized and misunderstood aspects of the Journey of Man. Enter OOIOO; an avant-garde collective of eccentric, virtuosi Japanese musicians determined to eradicate the most "sacred" dimension of modern civilization: Inhibition. Led by notorious alt-rocker Yoshimi P-We of the seminal first-wave alternative rock band Boredomes; OOIOO supposedly started out as a "fake" band appearing in a Tokyo magazine spread. Laying down her drum kit (partially) in leu of an electric guitar and vocals, they quickly evolved into one of the most bizarre, mind-altering bands performing in the Japanese underground today. Performing scantily-clad, smeared in neon body paint, the all-female avant-troupe eschew any immediate thoughts of gimmick when they begin to play their strange brew of toxic, asymmetrical guitar lines, repetitive riffs, cheerleading harmony vocals, hypnotic drumming and vocal screaming the likes of which would make even notorious warbler Yoko Ono cringe. But it is not eccentricity for the sake of eccentricity that makes OOIOO so appealing, it's the fact that they're bizarre in spite of all the highly-compressed quasi-political Green Day clones that so clog the airwaves of mainstream consumption. The very idea of dragging mankind back to the very brink of free experimentation, amoral behavior and limitless pleasure is certainly an enticing, yet ultimately unobtainable notion. Taiga, which means "big river" in Japanese and "forest" in Russian, perfectly exemplifies the bands uniform mission: wild, often-times erratic screaming courtesy of P-We; dirty, fuzzed-out guitar lines that conjure the source of Kurt Cobain's cathartic purges from both P-We and Kayan; meditative, contemplative bass lines from Aya recall perfectly the serene majesty of the 'forest' and 'rivers' of our primitive past along with repetitive, heavily African-influenced drumming from duo AI and Yo2ro Tatekawa (the latter from Boredoms) place the unyielding vision of Yoshimi P-We to life with relevant relief. Ultimately, the Journey back to humankind's beginning of harmony with the Sacred Feminine isn't one suited for every potential listeners abilities, but rewards are infinite for those brave enough to foray civility. A personal recommendation if it too isn't censored.

Download: Highlight: Additional Guests: Japan Release/US-UK Release: All SAI - Thiam Misato - additional percussion -Yes/Yes - Tonchi - additional percussion

Music like you've never experienced before.

OOIOO is a very low-key band that hasn't garnered much attention except possibly to fans of the Japanese noise-rock group Boredoms. TAIGA is one of the project's more recent efforts and my first try with the group, bypassing any earlier works and the Boredoms projects.

It suffices to say that my impression of this effort is this; it blew me away. I didn't think this was possible in music.

The overall musical palette is very diverse, very eclectic and very abstract in terms of genres that influenced TAIGA. One could call it world music without question. I would describe the music as organic, embryonic, ethereal and strange, and even though I say this too often, you really have to hear the album in order to get my drift.

The leadoff ''UMA'' and the show-stopper ''UMO'' are essentially the same track under different musical textures. ''UMA'' has this pressure chamber, electronic type of sound featuring machine drumming (not drum machines, sorry if I scared you) and mechanical guitars. ''UMA'' could count as an industrial-electronic piece. ''UMO'' is another animal; this has a tribal, almost wildlife sound to it. You'll here flutes, big, booming (what sound like) buffalo-skin drums, whistles and allsorts. The main appeals for ''UMO'' are its pace and its gradual build to an effective climax.

I say that ''UMO'' and ''UMA'' are the same because the same chant is used for both pieces. I find this to be astounding because you rarely hear of a band rewriting their own tune and using it in under a completely different genre and still being effective. ''UMO'' in particular is one of the pieces that floored me the first time I listened to it and the backup singers are spot on.

''KMS'' changes the musical landscape after the vaccuuming opener, preferring a laidback, almost Krautrock approach. ''KMS'' centres around the guitar webbings that give the tune its Krautrock kudos, but we have tribal drumming in the accompaniment. Believe it or not, this is the weakest overall track.

''UJA'' gets better with its hypnotic, tribal, mechanical and demented opening line that has that embryonic development you can detect just by listening. Even stranger still, Yoshimi's vocals sound akin to that of a Japanese pop sensation coming off of a sugar rush. The song gets really demented when all we're left with are the girls freakishly chanting, and then the song goes techno as if we've just landed on a dancy pop album. This kind of genre play is something only a few bands can pull off successfully, and I feel that OOIOO is one of those bands.

''GRS'' might constitute as filler for most, but I think the soundscape here is enjoyable. I mentally picture a New England rocky shoreline with waves crashing against it and sirens are beckoning beyond the horizons. By the way, there appear to be accordion sounds here that give the piece a ''maritime'' aura.

''ATS'' has more embryonic, tribal drumming with various beautiful vocals and witch-like chanting supplied by the group. Like ''UJA'', the strength of this piece is the embryonic developing of the piece. It's so organic, you'd think the piece was breathing. The ebbing and flowing of the piece is what draws the listener in, just to see if the piece can get turbulent (because it sounds like it's heading in that direction). The payoff is a semi-loud trip hop/J-pop variant of the theme.

''IOA'' closes the album (saving the best piece for last here) with the worst moment of the album; Yoshimi singing off key. You can relax; that part only lasts for a few seconds as we get splendid three-part vocals over a trippy guitar line. We later hear that guitar line slowed down at the end in a more tropical styling.

I saved the best for last as ''SAI'' really lives up to being the big epic of the album. It starts of with some of the most excellent guitar textures painting beautiful mental pictures this side of the post-rock genre. This is before OOIOO decides to pervert that them into a menacing electronic-tribal thing with Yoshimi giving a demented lead vocal performance while the backup singers create somewhat of a sayonce. However, by the one-third mark, we've shifted to a bass-led tribal theme that gets sped up at the sound of Yoshimi chirping schizophrenically. This new sped-up theme carries a ton of intensity as it constantly builds on itself, and you get the feeling like you're being hunted by a madman. And best yet, there's a short pause before reviving the theme in a different context. As soon as the madness is over, some of the best guitar work graces the ending which is a reprise of the first theme. Well worth sitting through.

Surprisingly, TAIGA has this unique electronic/tribal/J-pop sound throughout the album despite sound checking many other genres. Unless you're familiar with some post-rock, this album will sound like NOTHING you've ever heard before, and that may drive listeners away. I'm sure many progsters will listen to TAIGA, only to reject it as impenetrable experimentalism with acquired taste vocals and unnecessary genre checks. Don't get too discouraged if TAIGA doesn't floor you on the first listen; these pieces are very difficult to grasp and it takes patience in order to understand this bizarre world of an album. I'm one of those rare exceptions that DID get floored almost immediately because I don't like to keep hearing the same type of music over and over again.

If you're a musical risk-taker, then here's your adrenaline fix. TAIGA is one of those ''rough'' sounding albums that possesses this mysterious beauty to it. This album holds little in comparions to a large portion of the PA groups, even in the RIO section. Take a chance and get your feet wet with this; sooner or later, everything will make sense and you'll start chanting along with Yoshimi in ''UMO''.

A quirky, yet dizzyingly satisfying masterpice of progressive music.

Starting out like caffeinated cheerleaders with a tribal drum circle it's obvious from the getgo that the all-female ensemble of OOIOO is a unique musical force and has peaked my full attention throughout the entirety of the album. Although labelled as experimental and to be fair, it is that, this isn't the kind of experimental music that leaves you wondering what drugs they were ingesting to come up with ideas that exist in their own universe. Not at all. This is highly accessible while simultaneously taking you on a sonic sidetrip that I for one have not had the pleasure of travelling before hearing this.

This album has eight tracks that are all only three letters long. It has many different musical elements but it's not hard to strip away the veneer to see what's lurking beneath the surface. These girls have truly mastered a complete fusion of noise rock with tribal drumming with a kind of traditional Japanese like guitar riffing surrounded by electronic effects. The vocals always make me think of Japan as there is a very traditional feel to it as well as experimental. This isn't avant-garde to the point where it seems like it was composed on other worlds.

There is a sensual female aggressiveness to the whole thing. Kinda like the Go-Gos joined Melt Banana and invited a tribal drumming circle to jam. Every song is different and the album flows to the end without a shred of boredom, well except for Yoshimi P-We who is also in The Boredoms. She alone contributes the guitar, vocals, djembe, bongo, synthesizer, piano, Jew's harp and talking drum.

This music is unique, intense and amazingly diverse. If you want a new musical trip that really falls outside the boundaries of any musical genres that doesn't leave you scratching your head in dismay because it is absolutely so outside of your musical reality then this is will surely grab your attention and sustain it throughout multiple listens as it has with me. Accessible and avant-garde. Bold and beautiful. Cute, cuddly and crazy.

So original. So vibrant. If you have the time and place to listen to this album with your eyes closed do it. It was very rewarding for me at least. Always my priorities when i hear new music are originality (or "surprise effect"), variety and feelings (not any in particular, just strong, authentic and overall positive feelings that music provokes me). This album has those 3 items; it is very original on every level, abstract but somehow human, it is varied despite the abstract feel present in all songs, and provokes very weird feelings. I mean this in a positive way, because a weird song can be positive as much as a sad song can make me happy so that's why i listen to it. Do you understand? Another diamond from Japan. Last comment: the percussion is superb.

This is one of the most entertaining slices of Avant music that I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. Yoshimi P-We is the driving force behind this all female band from Japan, creating all the lyrics and music. She also helped form the experimental band THE BOREDOMS which I've had a lot of trouble enjoying so imagine my surprise at how much I enjoy this album. Yoshimi is a multi-instrumentalist playing guitar here and other instruments along with being the lead vocalist. With THE BOREDOMS she's the drummer by the way. I don't think I've spun this even once without laughing at some point at the brilliance I was hearing. This is so catchy yet experimental as they tow that line in between some how. There are three guests all adding some sort of percussion sounds, and calling this tribal music isn't too far off the mark, as this is all about the many beats and the crazy but oh so good vocals.

"UMA" opens with tribal-like drumming as the vocals join in along with backing vocals. So catchy! Bongos, whistles, synths and more help out. Insanity is the word and my head is spinning. Check out the vocals just before 2 1/2 minutes as she goes a notch higher than I think is humanly possible. Too much! Strange sounds a minute later when the vocals stop. "KMS" starts off fairly normal with outbursts of sound that come and go. Bongos join in and then we get a calm before 2 1/2 minutes with deep sounds. The drums kick in briefly followed by guitar as the deep sounds continue. Sounds like trumpet and guitar as these strange vocal melodies arrive after 4 1/2 minutes. Spoken words after 6 minutes along with some great sounding percussion work. Some inventive guitar here as well. The tempo picks up after 8 minutes.

"UJA" has lots of percussion and beats including vibes? Some weird vocal melodies come and go. A rhythm after a minute joins in. So much going on. Avant vocals start to come and go then the vocal melodies are staggered before 3 minutes. Cool sound. A change after 4 minutes as it picks up with drums, guitar and vocals standing out. Crazy stuff. It then settles right down 6 1/2 minutes in with vocal melodies, electronics and more. "GRS" has a drum intro as the organ pulsates. Vocal melodies join in before a minute. Sounds like vibes again. This is experimental and the least enjoyable one of the bunch for me. "ATS" starts out with percussion and vocal harmonies along with electronics. Those vibe-like sounds join in before 2 minutes. Some yells come and go as the percussion and electronics continue while the harmonies and vibes have stopped. Such an interesting track. It kicks into a full sound after 5 minutes. So good!

"SAI" is the 15 minute tour de force. It sounds like keys and electronics to begin with as this deep fuzzed out sound joins in briefly. Drums and distorted guitar follow. Desperate sounding vocals before 2 minutes along with backing vocals. Catchy stuff but experimental too. A calm 5 1/2 minutes in as we get percussion and more. Is that guitar making that noise? Some demented vocal expressions 7 minutes in and check it out after 9 minutes. Amazing! Devilish vocals a minute later. A great sound before 13 minutes as well. What a song! "UMO" like the opening track is around 3 1/2 minutes of tribal-like drumming, multi-vocals and it's uptempo and crazy with so much going on. Love this stuff. "IOA" is different with this Island-like sound that is lighter and pleasant but the vocals are anything but that. A catchy beat after 2 minutes and the vocals will come and go. Guitar joins in and synths as well.

I gotta give this 5 stars. To me this is very unique in the Avant and Experimental genres. I can't even imagine the time and innovation that went into making this recording.

Amazing, startling percussion-and-voice-oriented 'tribal' music from this all-female band from Japan. Led by composer, drummer and lead vocalist Yoshimi P-We, this music will surely bring a smile to your face in the same way that hearing Magma for the first time will because it is so different from anything you've ever heard before and yet you can immediately appreciate the genius and virtuosity of the music and its musicians, respectively. The terms "tribal" and "cheerleader" used by other reviewers of OOIOO's music are quite appropriate and yet the music is anything but simple.

1. "UMA" (3:38) opens with drums (multiple?) and the call and response vocals of Yoshimi P-We being mirrored and answered by her band mates. Very little other instrumentation is added to this one other than more percussives, whistles, and a few industrial and spacey synth sounds. Infectious--like the work of a cheerleader squad on its audience. (9/10)

2. "KMS" (9:00) opens with some kind of electrified Japanese string instrument going through some scales in chord formations. A set of hand drums and multiple electric guitars (?) join in. The multiple electronic string instruments repeat their scales over and over, each presenting a slightly different variation in order to create a harmonic chordal effect. At 2:30 it all stops and a bass line enters, jazz snare drum and brass and electric stringed instrument take up the Coltrane-like multi-instrument chordal creation process. At 4:10 the instruments begin to diverge and travel their own individual, almost independent paths. Female lead vocalist soon begins keening over what sounds like a kind of Creole Tex-Mex Calypso. So unique and unusual! The next section, within which the vocalist whisper raps, sounds like South African music. Then it gets weird with syncopated drum "solo" with all kinds of computer electronic zips, pops and clicks. Electric 'guitar' takes over the lead and seems to beat the percussionists into submissive organization until the end fade. (8/10)

3. "UJA" (7:50) opens with some very West African-sounding tribal drum rhythms over which odd computer synth 'noises' snort and squeak while oddly distorted guitars interject their own scratchy sounds. At 1:33 Yoshimi P-We's vocals enter, alternating with King Crimson-like guitar leads, all playing over a hypnotically paced group drum and percussion weave. P-We seems to be calling the instrumentalists to action before an interesting primal "Ah-ah-oh-ho-oh" multivoiced vocal weave works into the music. At 4:10 a rather radical shift occurs into the music--a kind of P-Funk/PRINCE-like sound and rhythm structure--marching along at quite the celebratory parade-like pace. Synth sounds are shot in and out of the soundscape like lasers in a fight between Star Wars' Rebel Forces and the Imperial Army. The final outro with calypso steel drums and Casiotone-like synth is . . . fitting. (8/10)

4. "KRS" (3:44) is extraordinary for its use of drum rolls on a snare drum as a wave sound, pulsing, percussive synths and guitars and steel drums as and then the gorgeous multi-voice folk-like singing over the top. Like nothing else I've ever heard! (10/10)

5. "ATS" (8:07) opens with a gently paced percussion and bass weave within which more odd synth and vocalizations are interspersed. It sounds a bit like a TOM TOM CLUB song. The polyphonic weave continues unchecked for three minutes before things seem to break down--as if each instrumentalist has walked out of the room--when, in fact, they've merely each walked over to new instruments--which they soon begin to play. Hand drums. Vocals. Casiotone synth. At 5:05 a kind of barbershop quartet tuning chord signals the wholesale switch into a kind of Santana-like Latin rhythm over which epithets and Fripp-like solo sounds continue to flow from multiple voices and multiple synths and guitars. Great song! (9/10)

6. "SAI" (15:02) the longest song on the album opens with South African-like guitar riff that gets repeated over the next four minutes as the song's foundation. Distorted guitars, bass, voices, percussion, synths and more guitar lines weave in and out of the mix--though the opening minutes of this one are very vocal dominated. In the fifth minute it seems as if the vocals take over the song's foundation. Then, in the sixth minute, a slower, steadier percussive weave (tuned percussives) teams with electric guitar to give the song a solid center. Then 'monkey' voices enter and the tempo and melody change, though the instruments remain basically the same. In the eighth minute the guitar plays in thrashing chords with voices accompanying each thrash. The next few minutes continue to explore the uses and noises possible from the electric guitar over some very TOM TOM CLUB-feeling rhythm section work--and they're in a groove! Until 13:45 when we return to the opening guitar sounds and riffs with comic-like bass and drum play to end. A good song that almost plays out as if it were a song devised to experiment with guitar sound. (9/10)

7. "UMO" (3:31) opens with a scream from the girls before a soulful multi-drum base rhythm is laid down. Yoshimi P-We and her companions move into call and response mode again, like a cheerleader and her squad. Very catchy and amusing. Yoshimi P-We and her companions are in highly animated form. An incredible song that will keep you coming back for more! (10/10)

8. "IOA" (6:51) this one starts out chaotically before a chorus starts singing in what sounds (to my ears) like a Polynesian or Native American song. The strings, horn, percussion and drum structures accompanying this are quite unusually syncopated--almost alternating with the vocal sections but also partially or occasionally woven in with them. At the two-minute mark the tempo and weave shift--everything kind of comes together into a more tightly gathered group weave. Very hypnotic. A break from the vocals opens space for a lone synth to solo while the very tightly woven African rhythm continues below. Voices and drum-machine-sequenced handclaps join in with the African-like multiple lead guitar melody lines. Singular electric guitar gets a solo in the final minute. It does feel odd to hear anything in this album be left alone to stand out--which does not happen for very long as multiple synths join in till the song's end. Great song. (9/10)

Not for the faint of heart and yet not to be feared--this is odd but wonderful music! Like musical composition taken on by dancers or cheerleaders and/or nonmusicians. Truly adventurous. Reminds me of the 1980 TALKING HEADS when Brian Eno had the band members all try each other's instruments as an exercise in perspective and creativity.

A masterpiece of truly progressive rock music.

More like 'Jungle' - warm and tribalistic: 8/10

TAIGA is definitively an avant-garde album. It smells avant, looks prog, and acts -garde. There's an absurd amount of experimental elements infused in each song. I found myself listening to the tracks over and over because there's just so much to discover every time it's heard.

It's very clear the focus on the rhythm and percussion instruments, as well a wide array of instruments to bring different sonorities to their songs. Overall, it reminds me a lot of tribal music. Not only the percussion but the calmness and vocal style.

There are two main features in this album: the first being the guitar, which is sometimes gentle - such as the mellow, delicate intro of SAI - and sometimes distorted; the second being the musicianship of the percussionists. Another important characteristic on TAIGA is the presence of electronic noises, ranging from heavily distorted background guitar to drone-esque sounds. They complement the songs and help each of them feel unique.

The vocals are also important to bring the ambiance of the songs. There's often high-pitched screams, wheezing, rat noises, and whatnot. While the background vocals are mostly pleasant, the main vocals are - I assume propositionally - horrific: raw, poor, and in a certain way natural. It brings the feeling that it's not a professional singer, but a regular person, who is singing. And this is NOT a compliment. It DOES fit the album, but it's HORRIBLE. I mean it.

Each track is unique, which although all have the same concept - tribalistic percussion and experimentalism - it's still managed to make them different. I find the best track to be ATS: the first part soothing, with - unprecedentedly - good vocals, imbued with electronic background noises; and the second, extremely distorted and relatively heavy, energetic, and rather funky. I can also highlight the epic and variant 15-minutes long SAI, the jazz-influenced UJA and the guitar-n-bass(-n-rat squeaks) trio duo KMS as other fine songs.

If you're into the avant-garde genre, you DEFINITIVELY should check this out. It's an experimental fountain gone right.

Well I'm certainly not a "faint of heart". I mean, "The End Of An Ear" is still one of my favourites, and "Trout Mask Replica" too. I listen to Zao and Étron Fou Leloublan and Univers Zéro, and Hawkwind. I'm a Magma fan. In the 80s I saw Rip Rig + Panic on stage and it was great (and "God" still has a go in the player once in a while), and the Mike Westbrook Brass Band and it was nice. I am not adverse to the occasional bit of acid house or death metal. I'm definitely NOT a "faint of heart", at least musically!

And so I never thought I could still, at my age, be struck down by the musical lightning and lay on the ground, sprawled and quivering and speechless (that's an image, I'm perfectly fine, thanks). Not until I first heard those insane japgirls ("pictures of japgirls in synthesis" quoth the Bowie, in "Ashes To Ashes" if I'm not mistaken) howling at the top of their voice on merciless beats both heavy and ethereal, around screaming guitars and an impressive array of whistles, beeps and various unidentified noises.

How to describe what will assault your ears and your brain if you put "Taiga" on the turntable? Beautiful? In a way. Haunting? Certainly. Weird? No doubt. Infectious? Oh yeah. Addictive? It sure is. And venomous, undoubtedly. It doesn't creep on you, it jumps on you like boisterous children jump on a bed for fun. And it never lets you go, from its crazy thundering opening number (UMA) to the softer end of IOA. With a special mention to the 6th track (SAI), so beautifully built with its successive and different moods, the "proggest" of the eight.

 Is "Taiga" the work of a genius? Could be, yes. All I know is this : when, on my first listening, the CD came to the end of the last track, I immediately started it again. And again. Yep, I listened to it three times in a row, and a few times more ever since (and LOUD please, this music has to be played LOUD). Believe me, that doesn't happen very often. I won't do a lengthy track-by-track description, cause I'm unable to talk about music the wonderful way so many others do here. So I'll say only this : this is really great. It may not sound like anything you've heard before, you may not like it, you may even hate it, but it's a great album. Worth a try, really.

Somewhere between 4 and 5 stars then, but when in doubt be generous. So it's 5.

OOIOO are a collective of Japanese women with one mission in mind: to create some of the most intensely experimental avant-rock music out there. Boredoms drummer and co-founder Yoshimi P-We leads the gang in a percussion-focused psych-prog-world music mashup that sounds like little else on Earth. If you took Talking Heads at their most experimental and got them into a jam session with Magma, then pumped hallucinogenic gas into the studio, maybe something broadly similar would come out of the other end. I doubt it, though, because there's a certain pulsating intensity to this work which suggests a much more organised mind behind it than my analogy would allow for.