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Author
Candace L.
Publication
Okayplayer
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Shibuya - never heard of it, but it's kind of fun to say. A section of Tokyo as infamous for Gwen Stefani's Harajuku minstrels as its overcrowding, Nicolay draws a parallel vision that removes Japan from the outer space category it may hold in Western imagination and places it skillfully back on Earth. Nicolay captures the excitement of this faraway land like a child chasing a butterfly as it floats away on a gentle breeze. The sounds and moods Nicolay constructs from inspiration are at once mellow and erratic, raindrops and technological blips. Yet, no matter what town he decides to inhabit, the sound is vintage Nicolay, smooth, organic and experimental.
The first suite of the album, "Shibuya Station" through "Satellite," immerses the listener in the environment of Shibuya ward, the hectic whirlwind of the train station, its busy intersections and rain falling in the park. The second suite takes you on a tour of ancient and modern day landmarks from "Meiji Shrine," a mystic instrumental reflecting the shrine dedicated to Tokyo's Emperor Meiji and his wife, to "Omotesando," a breezy track named after the ritzy shopping district. Throughout the journey, Shibuya is given the "New York, New York" treatment with the bombast of an electronic Broadway musical mixing with the whimsy of touching down in the big city for the first time. Along with Foreign Exchange band member Zo! on keys, Carlitta Durand's seductive vocals add perfect accents to the airy compositions.
Part video game, part jazz rock fantasyland, if Nicolay's sonic travelogue is to be believed, Shibuya is a land steeped in rich history as it seizes firm hold of an unbounded future. No matter where you are, the intricate layers of Shibuya transport you to another place.
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