Osoroshisa's second release on Petcord, Nanseihokuto (literally southwest northeast, the four wind directions)
is meant to celebrate the earth's beauty. But it's not exactly the notion of broad daylight and shiny happiness that comes to mind,
but the moody shadows that managed to escape the sunbeams. Rather slowly the sound evolves around a stretched minor chord, sometimes
dissolving at either ends of its spectrum, shrinking and expanding. Eery voices lost in a cavernous space, a cathedral of drones
constanly changing its architectural structures as sunlight is refracted in coloured glasses. The music appears as a catalyst for
one's own thoughts, where the inscape blends with the music's resonance.
The comparison with the four wind directions doesn't seem to be too far fetched, as there is neither a beginning nor an end,
but something in between infinity. Technically, the music could be classified as somehow drone, but that would omit the constant
modulation and movement of aural events.
It might as well be classified as not quite dark ambient, in that there is a melancholic mood that never does turn into bleak
threatening darkness. At some point, Nanseihokuto implies a faint hope that somewhere in the infinite flow, there is some
kind of rest and warmth. Something as trivial as a hug or a smile.
When is music considered finished and how long is it supposed to last? It surely depends at what point the impression is about to lose its momentum. Osoroshisa manages to hit the sweet spot with Nanseihokuto: Despite its monumental length of 54 minutes everything seems to be in balance. Just enough variation to prevent the music from becoming monotonous, but at the same time enough vagueness to avoid recognisable melodic lines from wearing thin. Just like a face you've noticed once without remembering its details, the music sounds differently each time you listen to it. There is much to discover and that concentration is moving inwards, rather than following each detail of the sonic event seems a feature and not a limitation.
Olliver Wichmann
Preview audio:
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The release is available as both single mp3 download and entire package including artwork. Some browsers may automatically play the file rather than offering a dialogue what to do with the latter, so in this case downloads may not be that straight forward. In case your favourite browser happens to exhibit exactly that behaviour, simply right click the link, and then a context menu should appear that offers something like "Save as" or "Save location as".
| 1. | Nanseihokuto | 53 min 54 sec | 123.5 MByte | mp3, 320 kbps CBR | Artwork | Cover art for prints | 1'201 KByte | 12x12 cm at 300 dpi |
| Everything | Entire release plus artwork | 123.6 MByte | zip archive |
Music © 2010 Osoroshisa and the Petcord netlabel.
Cover art © 2010 Synflict and the Petcord netlabel.