Детали релиза : Rovo - Flage (2002) [FLAC (tracks + .cue)]

Dramatic and spiritual dance music with a genre-straddling, wide-range groove which includes techno, house, dub, Krautrock, psychedelia, jazz, Latin, progressive rock, improvisation and ethnic music. The energetic groove of ROVO's music, which people can't resist dancing to, could be described as music embodying the universe itself. ROVO was formed by the two main members, electric violin player Yuji Katsui (who has been involved in the Japanese underground scene since the '80's) and the charismatic guitar prodigy from the Kansai area, Seiichi Yamamoto (from the Boredoms, Omoide-Hatoba and Rashinban). The trigger to form the band was pulled by the impact on Katsui of a rave party in London. The other members that constitute this six piece band are two drummer/percussionists Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (of Otomo Yoshihides New Jazz Quintet, Altered States and Shibusa-sirazu) and Yoichi Okabe (well known session musician), bassist Jin Harada (of Bazooka Joe and Koenji-Hyakkei) and keyboards of Tatsuki Masuko (from Dub Squad, ASLN). All members are playing in other bands besides ROVO and have many experiences playing overseas. Yuji Katsui and Yasuhiro Yoshigaki are the founding members of Jazz-entertainment band SHIBUSA-SHIRAZU which has many experiences touring overseas, included appearances at Moers New Jazz Festival (98, 00 and 02) and Glastonbury Festival (02). Yasuhiro Yoshigaki is also a member of Otomo Yoshihides New Jazz Quintet and played at many international festivals in several countries like Austria Music Unlimited in Wels (99). Seiichi Yamamoto is a founding member of BOREDOMS. BOREDOMS is the most famous Japanese avant-garde rock band in the world and toured US with Nirvana and Sonic Youth. With these six guys making up ROVO, they have come to be regarded as the most powerful live band in Japan today, and at the same time are established as a unique studio band. They have released six original albums, and four live albums, and have also appeared many times at big outdoor music and rave events, including Fuji Rock, the biggest outdoor music festival in Japan (in 00, 01 ,03 and 05). They have proven their ability as a live-band by gathering 3,000 people to an open-air show at Hibiya Outdoor Music Hall in May 03, and 10,000 people at Fuji Rock in July 03. While on their United States tour in July 01, they played crazed shows in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. Their New York set was released on John Zorn's label TZADIK as the live album, and was highly esteemed worldwide. The new rhythm of ROVO is created by their two drummers, just like two turntables make new music by mixing different rhythms. Their dramatic soundscapes and groove, of a scale well above techno, trance, progressive or jazz rock, is presented by repeating the polyrhythmic approach of minimal rhythmic phrases, created by musicians with exceptional taste and technique, refined by their long-term careers in the underground music scene. The groove, which arises from the multiple rhythms drummed up by their own bodies, elevates us to new heights that sequenced dance music can't reach. Its a different dimension beyond time and space, which we reach at last after endless dancing, allowing ourselves into the intense, irresistible rhythms. ROVO's music is the ambiance shared between seven players and their audience, and once you are wrapped up in the unparalleled music, the cathartic experience won't release you. No music in the world sounds as elastic as ROVO, who cross over genres like techno, dance music, rock and jazz. Because of the absence of words in their music, it passes beyond countries, genres or races. Here exists a great potential of music. Their tidal wave of sound is rising up, not only in Japan, but heading outwards and overseas.

Пластинка начинается с красивейшей 14-минутной композиции Canvas, где пронзительные скрипичные пируэты (ну прям как у Дэвида Кросса из King Crimson) наслаиваются на обычный для группы трансовый бэкграунд из ударных инструментов. В следующем инструментале, почти такой же длинной вещи Sukhna, скрипка также играет активную роль и задает нужный драйв и тон на фоне спейсовой электроники и типичных трансовых тенденций музыкантов. Два этих изумительных произведения сменяют эмбиентные эксперименты (Canoa), однако классная скрипка возвращается к нам вновь в еще одной сильнейшей композиции, Spika. Завершающие пластинку пьесы Nax и Mov также хороши. В общем, это их самая «заскрипиченная» пластинка из всех, слышанных мной, если так можно выразиться. Скрипка Юдзи Кацуи здесь везде и всюду, по-моему, так эта группа и должна звучать, с повсеместным скрипичным доминированием. Достойнейшая работа, могу смело рекомендовать ее всем любителям прогрессив-рока, и пусть мелкие элементы транса вас не отпугивают.